Beyond the Curious Figments
by permafrost13
Summary: She was but a wayward soul among countless others, seeking purpose in a world drunk in power and discord. It was a simple innocent wish inscribed on a handwritten archive—a journey that wouldn't decide the fate of humanity. Rather, the fates of those who are most precious to her.
1. A Vacant Slot

**00—A Vacant Slot**

* * *

A lone girl sat in the shade of the lush green canopy only slightly above her head. The gentle sea breeze caressing her face soothed her mind as she took in the scenery before her. And with a big yawn, she stretched her arms towards the sky.

Hot afternoons always made her drowsy for some reason. If she had eaten a heavier lunch earlier, it would have been harder for her to fend off the urge to lie down on the grass and take a nap for an hour or two under such nice weather. This change of pace toned down her restlessness for a bit. She had grown tired of lounging about in her quarters anyway, so she had retreated to her usual lookout spot near a large defunct anti-air turret facing the vast blue expanse.

Humming a tune to herself, she fished out her phone from her skirt pocket to check the time. She let out a sigh as she realized that she had been waiting for her contact since the early hours of the morning. A friend from the local logistics department had repeatedly assured her last night that he would be able to disembark today, but she had yet to receive any updates on her end since then.

In fact, she had been expecting him to arrive two days ago, but all she could do was purse her lips and wait until the delays in the commercial routes were sorted out. The congestion within the island's harbors and outlying trade routes seemed to continue to grow worse every week, so it shouldn't come as a surprise if everyone's schedules were pushed yet again to a later date.

With the recent discovery of the Southern Cluster Isles, the entirety of Auspice had never been busier with the influx of ships from all around the world.

From her vantage point, she could see several fleet girls in the glistening harbor, assisting ships of different kinds. She had always admired how strong those girls were. Despite their size, they could push and pull massive ships with ease. Their unparalleled endurance also made it possible for them to work nonstop until daybreak.

Watching them work hard, steering through the harbor's chaotic puzzle, made her more excited. As a freshly commissioned ship, she couldn't wait to do something similarly helpful to everyone. Her line of work was starkly different to the girls of the harbor though; it was a realm of its own, but its significance to the world was second to none.

At the base of the grassy slope, she noticed a cab about to pull up next to a convenience store's parking lot. She held her breath as the passenger's door swung open.

"Ah, that's him!"

Recognizing the young man's uniform, she stood up from the concrete barrier and patted her skirt. Her hazel eyes glimmered with life and eagerness once more; the moment she had been waiting for was finally here!

She took the steps on her immediate left to meet him halfway, but he never climbed the hill as she had hoped for. Upon reaching the sidewalk, she made a sprint towards the parking lot, but she didn't even caught glimpse of his shadow as if he had vanished in thin air.

Wiping her forehead with the sleeve of her blouse, she opted to check the convenience store next. Her eyes darted left and right as she walked down the building's dining space. Plenty of familiar faces were present there, but she could worry about them later.

She soon caught a glimpse of the man's distinct dark blue cloak on the other end of the aisle, so she tailed him until he stopped next to the snack bar corner. When he was just within arm's reach, the girl stood high and straight as she gave him a firm salute. Slowly, the young man turned around, holding a half-eaten steam bun over his mouth.

"Destroyer Inazuma, reporti—" She caught her tongue as her supposed commander glared at her. "U-Um, are you okay?"

Beads of sweat ran down on his pale face as he took a step backwards. He looked like he was about to collapse at any moment. Stumbling towards a table, he pulled out a chair and sat down next to his tattered luggage.

"W-What should I do? Should I call an ambula—"

"N-No! I'll be fine if you let me rest like this for a while."

Inazuma grabbed a chair of her own and sat across him. "Commander, what happened? Did you get seasick during the trip?"

He took off his beret and patted down a conspicuous gray cowlick sticking out of his crown, but the stubborn lock of hair sprung up a few seconds later. "Not exactly, but I can tell you that it was a hectic ride. Haven't eaten a proper meal since yesterday too."

"H-Huh? Did something bad happen?"

He directed his gaze at the glass window to his left, looking at his reflection. "You want to know that badly? And I thought this day couldn't get any more... surreal."

"Um, if you're okay with it."

He paused as he turned his attention back to the steaming bun in his hand. "My fault for bringing that up. It'll be a huge favor for me if you just forget about it."

Inazuma gulped, curiosity rising up. Whatever it was, it felt like a nightmare brought to life. Fearing that further prodding of the subject would get her into trouble, she silently watched him finish his steamed bun instead. When he was done, he crumpled the bun's wrapper and stood up. "You want something in particular?"

Startled, she forced out a smile. "N-No, I'm fine."

The commander just blinked and entered the snack aisle. Seeing him recover quickly from such dismal state a minute ago lightened the situation at least.

It didn't take him long to return with a plastic bag in his hand. As he settled down again, he suddenly handed out a chocolate bar.

Inazuma refused at first, but she was forced to take it anyway. "Thank you, Commander."

He fell silent for a while. "Who are you again? I'm not really good with names."

"You did read the directives memo, didn't you? In any case, I'm Inazuma, an Akatsuki-class destroyer. I was assigned as your secretary ship as long as you're part of the Maritime Peacekeepers!" He didn't reply, keeping a steady gaze towards her. The destroyer's lips quivered. "Is something wrong? Ah, is there something on my face?"

Moving his head left and right, he took a deep breath to compose himself. He seemed troubled more than anything else. "I only got the memo after we entered the port. It was good that I recognized your voice at least."

"That's weird. Could it be that the transfer procedures weren't finalized until today?"

"Is there a problem?"

"No, sorry about that. My department already gave me your profile and I thought it was already official." She shook her head. "Anyway, as of today, you'll be commanding your own fleet. And as your fleet secretary, I'll be your helping hand in your everyday duties. And, um, try to enjoy your stay here too. Keeping a healthy state of mind is very important."

He blinked. "This whole fleet girl business is all but new to me, so I'll do just that. But rest assured I won't forget your name this time."

"I can relate to that. Don't hesitate to ask questions since that's part of my job too!"

After a long pause, he took his brown eyes off the table and assumed a more serious expression. "Hmm, well, a lot of things actually."

Now was her chance! She smiled and nodded. "Okay, ask away!"

"It's about the Navy's large-scale advancement projects, which includes several supply ports and naval bases, in the western seas. Well, I want you to confirm a few things for me."

"Advancement projects? What are you—"

"Like the offshore center they are building on the front lines? The issues surrounding that particular project are highly questionable, and it's been in the center of countless debates ever since it was exposed."

"Eh?! I'm sorry, Commander. I don't really know the particulars of that expansion project in Serenoir..."

He began drumming his fingers on the tabletop. "You were originally a Navy fleet girl, right? Shouldn't you be more informed about these developments?"

"Th-That's true. But I was just—"

"And what about the rising tension between the Naval Domain and the Conglomerate? I assume you already knew that you folks shot yourselves in the foot with the whole restructuring excuse. No one's buying into that PR nonsense last week too—it's dead obvious who's getting the short end of the stick when they get to pass the revisions.

"Since they're so keen on taking so much flak lately, don't you think it's only a matter of time before they completely pull the plugs of those affected joint branches?"

The secretary wished that it was just her imagination; the commander's tone had suddenly became more aggressive. "Destroyer Inazuma, are you paying attention at all?"

"Y-Yes, I'm listening..."

"Then out with it. What better way to gain invaluable insight in this matter other than hearing from an affiliated fleet girl such as yourself?"

She felt a lump in her throat as she tried to speak. "I-I'm sorry, Commander. I don't know what to say. I've heard some of those issues before, but it didn't cross my mind that—"

"And that's why the Navy's so tactless. They always get a free pass because they're the 'vanguards of the high seas,' collateral damage be damned." He took a deep breath. "Perhaps it's just a coincidence, but I find it sad that they had to commission someone who can't even—"

Her eyes began to water as she looked down, grabbing on her skirt. "I don't think you believe me at all," she sobbed. "Even though I'm trying my best to keep up a good impression."

The commander blinked but remained straight-faced. "What are you talking about?"

"I've realized that I still have lots of things to learn as a secretary ship. Being so clueless for this long, I feel so—"

"Look, I was just teasing—"

"I wonder if it's really okay for me to continue on like this. I thought I'm ready for this kind of responsibility, but this is just embarrassing. Maybe I should just—"

"Destroyer Inazuma."

His tone was stern and imposing, causing her to snap into attention. Tears in her eyes started to well up, but she kept her held high as she awaited further instructions. "Y-Yes, Commander!"

Sweat drops began to form on his face as he stifled a brief chuckle. Inazuma's poise crumbled just as quick when the commander avoided eye contact, turning his back towards her. As she wiped the tears with her sleeve, she could almost collapse out of weariness and embarrassment.

That was the final straw.

Teeth clenched, she pushed the chair away and walked towards the doorway. She caught a glance of the commander's astonished face as she left, but she didn't care anymore.

Without looking back, she hightailed back to headquarters. She had been anticipating such a scenario to crop up ever since she was commissioned as a fleet secretary. Wild, if not overtly enthusiastic, speculations had haunted every conscious moment, fearing that she might wound up working with a less... desirable leader. She felt that she was now creeping in that territory and it wouldn't certainly do well for her mental well-being.

Her better judgment told her to give him the benefit of the doubt as she just met him moments ago. Perhaps it was his way to break the ice and ease the awkwardness earlier? She wasn't sure at all.

She stomped into the building's lobby, ignoring the stares of the other girls lounged there. Some of them called out to her, but their voices failed to reach her as she focused on getting to her quarters as quickly as possible. Maybe she could think of her next course of action after calming down a bit.

She quickly slammed the door after stepping into the room, and her startled roommates immediately gave her a befuddled stare from the opposite end of the room. Realizing her mistake, the secretary fleet girl quickly bowed and apologized to the girls. The black-haired girl just gave her a nod before she went back to fiddling with her phone. The other girl stood up from her seat, giving Inazuma a worried look. "You're early," she said. "Did something happen?"

"U-Um, sorry about that."

She blinked, lowering her head. "Well, we can't really do anything about the delays. We just have to be patient until—"

"I actually met him just now."

She let out a gasp. "H-He's already here? That's good news!"

Inazuma grabbed a bottle of orange juice from the mini refrigerator. She took a few gulps of the juice and returned it along with the chocolate bar for later. "Y-Yeah."

"What's he like? We were just talking about him a while ago."

"W-Well—"

"I know! We should go and meet him now! Prep up, Hatsuyuki!" The girl hopped towards the mirror, fixing a few strands of her purple hair. "We have to project a mature and dignified aura towards the commander while we're at it too."

Narrowing her eyes, Hatsuyuki furiously tapped on her phone. "Wait... I'm almost done."

"Is he in the office right now? How about you lead the way, Inazuma?"

Settling down on the bedside, the secretary grabbed a pillow and hugged it tightly. "Can't you just go without me? I'll be fine here."

"Come on, you're the secretary of this fleet!" She paused for a moment, glancing at the door. "Wait, did something happen earlier that we need to know?"

Inazuma sniffled. "Like I said, I'm fine. I'm just going to sleep it off and—"

"No, you won't! Does that mean you haven't given him the orientation tour as well?"

"Akatsuki, I don't mind if you give him the tour in my place."

Wearing her cap, Akatsuki raised an eyebrow. "Huh? You don't want to be the secretary ship anymore?"

"Hawawa, I didn't say that!" She looked down, biting her lip. "I... just lost my enthusiasm for today, that's all."

"That's no good, you know? How will you continue your duties as a fleet secretary with that mindset?"

Shoving her phone back to her skirt's pocket, Hatsuyuki stood up from her seat and settled beside Inazuma. "Could it be that... you're afraid of the commander? Is he really that... scary?"

"Ugh, I hope he just looks like it!"

Their chatter came to a halt when they heard someone knocking on the door. Inazuma tensed up. Her mind raced with unpleasant thoughts as anxiety began to consume her from the inside.

Akatsuki grabbed the door's handle, pushing it down. "A visitor? I hope it's not that pastry girl again."

Inazuma hid her face with the pillow upon seeing the commander, exhausted and out of breath, on the hallway. To her dismay, Hatsuyuki yanked the shield from her grasp, leaving her exposed again.

The purple-haired destroyer put a hand on her waist as she wagged a finger at the commander. "Hey, hey! This wing's exclusive to us reputable women! What are you doing here?!"

"I'm picking up—"

Before he could take a step forward, Akatsuki grabbed the initiative and kicked his shin. As the commander fell to his knees, she restrained him with a chokehold. "Now look what you've made me do! I'll give you a chance, just a single one, to leave this hall and never come back, or else you will be—"

Taken aback in the sudden turn of events, the secretary jumped out of the bed and waved her hands frantically over her chest. "Hawawa! He's our commander!"

"What now?"

"He's our fleet commander, Akatsuki!"

Akatsuki's eyes widened as her grip slowly slackened. Releasing the commander from her arms, she walked in front of him and bowed. "My sincerest apologies, Commander."

He rubbed his neck, taking in deep breaths. "I-I thought you're going to snap my neck for good..."

She giggled. "Fortunately for you, a highly regarded fleet girl like me is compassionate to everyone."

He stood up as he did a quick fix to his uniform. "As I was about to say before you rudely interrupted me, I'm here for my secretary. I was told that the orientation protocols should be finished before nightfall."

"Introductions first before we move on."

He sighed. "Fine then."

The girl saluted. "Destroyer Akatsuki, member of the Naval Domain's 12th Stinger Division, 3rd Caffelatte Forward Fleet! You better not forget my name or I'll hate you!" She gestured over to the black-haired destroyer. "And the other girl's Hatsuyuki, by the way."

"Eh... I can introduce myself just fine." Hatsuyuki nodded as she looked at him in the eyes. "Nice... meeting you."

"Commander Yuu, UMP Pathfinding Task Force, Section 18." His eyes narrowed. "Our unit is provisional as per shared directives contract, but we'll be participating in many operations from here on out. And it goes without saying that I will be expecting your full cooperation to ensure the success of our duties as peacekeepers of the primeval seas."

Inazuma swallowed.

There it was again—the sudden shift of air that caught her off guard earlier.

Akatsuki didn't move a muscle from where she stood while Hatsuyuki just stared at the commander, jaw slightly hanging. The commander took notice of them and turned his head to the side, avoiding eye contact.

"Good. I don't think I messed up this time. I'm not really fond of stock introductory lines."

The purple-haired girl beamed and nodded. "Hmm! It's also good that you save us the trouble by coming here instead." She looked towards Inazuma. "Now that's out of the way, it's your turn Miss Secretary!"

When Inazuma noticed that their commander was staring at her, she sat back down on her bed and immediately covered her face with another pillow. Still, she couldn't resist to peek, noticing Akatsuki baffled expression.

Akatsuki puckered her lips, her gaze directed towards the commander. "Commander, what exactly happened earlier?"

"It was my fault. I got carried away and—"

"Were you making fun of her?" She started pulling up her right sleeve. "Do you want me to pummel your kidneys next? I don't hold back on bullies, you know?"

"R-Reflected upon it on the way here. I feel like a massive jerk seeing her cry."

"As long as you understand. How about it, Inazuma? I think he learned his lesson." She smiled and went to pat the secretary's head. "Even if he didn't, I'm sure we'll find a way to hammer it down in his brain."

The secretary sighed, tidying up her skirt. "The offices are located on the opposite wing. Please follow me."

Exiting the left wing of the headquarters, they entered the central lounge where a couple of amenities were readily available for the occupants. And similar to the lobby on the ground floor, they also had benches and tables arranged for those who want to unwind after work. The commander looked around as if he was a tourist in a local museum, absorbing every little detail around him with his probing eyes. Seeing the commander like that made her smile.

A familiar fleet girl wearing pigtails approached them. "Good afternoon. We made some tarts out of the leftovers from earlier," she said, handing out a small bag decorated with a ribbon. "Hatsuyuki, here. Share it to everyone, okay?"

Hatsuyuki nodded as she took the tarts. "These look tasty. Thank you..."

She suddenly stopped as she her gaze went to the commander; her face reflected a horrifying revelation. "A-Ah, sorry for being rude! It won't happen again! P-Please excuse me!"

The fleet girl took off after giving him a salute. "She looked like she just saw a ghost or something. Is she going to be okay?" the commander asked.

Hatsuyuki shrugged. "It just happens... don't worry."

Walking past a personalized booth selling homemade pastries, they went through the corridor leading to the executive wing.

"This place sure is lively," the commander said. "Not unexpected, but still surprising somehow."

"You think so too?" Akatsuki said. "It's because the officers here know what they're doing—huge step up from the last base I was stationed in. But don't get it the wrong way! A first-rate lady like me is always hardworking!"

"Morale shouldn't be a concern in this base, at the very least. Good to know."

Inazuma took a left and stopped at the very first door in the hallway. "Room 318!"

"Nearer than I thought." The purple-haired girl crossed her arms. "I never stay here for too long. It just feels suffocating."

The hallway's dark coat of red and mahogany largely contributed to the claustrophobic, sometimes foreboding, atmosphere of the place. While the wall lamps gave off sufficient light to distinguish objects on the carpeting, the overall lighting retained a gloomy impression. The potted plants marking every room barely added life and color to the corridors.

Looking to his right, the commander gazed at the end of the hallway. "Are the other rooms in this hallway vacant?"

Inazuma gasped. "Yes. How did you know?"

"A guess? But I haven't seen other officers in the building aside from the ones I met in the lobby," the commander replied. "I'm just curious. You can continue."

"Let's go inside." The secretary fleet girl swiped a keycard on the wall panel and door opened on its own. As they entered inside, she activated a panel next to the doorway. She hit another button and the ceiling lights went on.

"The room's empty." Hatsuyuki crouched down and ran her index finger on the floor. "Well... at least it's clean."

"Not bad." Akatsuki nodded, resting a hand on her cheek. "It's spacious too. Or it just looks like it because it's mostly empty."

"It's bigger than our room for sure," Inazuma said. "This is the commander's room after all!"

The commander walked past her. "My personal room, huh? Got it."

He began inspecting the bathroom and the storage space next to it. Akatsuki and Hatsuyuki followed him to take a peek as well. When they were done, they returned to the secretary's side.

"Commander, here." Inazuma handed him a keycard. "Secretaries also carry a duplicate with them, but make sure not to lose yours. We'll get penalties every time it happens."

Akatsuki pointed to her left. "What are those boxes there?"

The commander took the topmost box and placed it on the floor. As he removed the sealing tape, stuffed penguins peeked out of the covers. "Hm? Who owns these?"

Inazuma hugged one of the fluffy penguins. "Ah, don't worry! I'll explain equipment development later."

"That doesn't answer my question, but I'll just follow your lead for now."

Akatsuki tapped the box with her foot. "Shouldn't we put these out? These are trash anyway."

"Why?" the commander asked, raising his eyebrow. "You sure you don't want to keep a few of these?"

"Well, let's just say you'll get tired of seeing them soon enough."

"We can't throw them, Akatsuki. Not until the furniture shipments arrive." Inazuma closed the lid and reapplied the tape. "We can use them as chairs and tables for now. Cardboard boxes can be useful too."

"That will take forever! Maybe we can find something we can use in the storage roo—"

"Uh, about that. I already checked most of the vacant rooms. Not a single furniture was spared. I even asked the maintenance staff in the underground hangar, but they can't give us any more extras."

"If you had told me sooner, I could've gotten us a coffee table!" The purple-haired girl started fuming. "This place looks so fancy from the outside, so you can't possibly imagine that this is actually the norm unless you start living here! It's absurd!"

Hatsuyuki sat as she leaned on the wall. "Um... we can move some of our stuff here. The table set... should be a nice start."

She knitted her eyebrows. "B-But that's our furniture! We should just buy new ones for the office."

"But we need... furniture points for that."

"Furniture points?" The commander made a confused look. "What, are they handing out point cards of some kind here?"

"No, but the system is quite similar," Inazuma said. "Basically, you get furniture points when you accomplish assignments or reach certain milestones. Once in a while, we may participate in special, urgent missions that can give us plenty of rewards."

"Correction: rare rewards!" Akatsuki said. "Like limited and special edition items! Last month, there was this one officer who got a big carp figurine!"

"Ah, I remember that one! It looks so pretty and colorful!"

"I guess that's a good incentive?" the commander replied, rubbing his cheek with his index finger.

Akatsuki nodded. "We'll have to work hard to transform this room into an office brimming with flair and sophistication! Not only it reflects the occupant's character, a commander's room showcases all their efforts and achievements they have acquired in the open seas!"

"You sure are very eager about this."

"I know it sounds boring and unimpressive, but wait until you see the furniture catalog! They're expanding it every month, so there's always something to look forward to!"

"A television set should be fine... right?" Hatsuyuki said. "The TVs in the lounge only air news channels."

The enthusiastic gleam in Akatsuki's eyes vanished as she rolled her eyes. "It wouldn't hurt you to aim for something more reasonable, you know?"

"It's doable... if we save our points wisely. You'll be able to watch your favorite morning cartoo—"

"N-Nonsense! W-We don't need a television, especially now that the commander is here with us!"

"The television set comes with a fancy video recorder... so you can schedule it to—"

"For the last time, we don't need it, okay?! I would appreciate it if you stopped dragging my name into your childish whims!"

Inazuma smiled.

This exchange was exactly how she imagined their meetings with the commander: fun, loud, boisterous. For reasons she couldn't put into words, she felt relieved and energized. All of the eagerness that left her body earlier had returned, and she was more than thankful that it did.

Marking the start of her duties as a fleet girl secretary, she silently vowed to do her best. Things would only get busier in the future as their fleet grows, so she had to prepare for that too.

"Inazuma?" Akatsuki poked the secretary's cheeks. "You're spacing out."

She blinked a few times, slightly dazed. "Ah, it just crossed my mind that we're already having our very first meeting in this office," she said. "Um, this is embarrassing to say, but I'm happy that we're here right now."

The other two destroyers looked at her with smiling faces. As she repeated those words in her mind, her cheeks felt hot as she hid her face with both hands.

"Of course, you are," the purple-haired girl said, holding back her laughter. "And I wouldn't call it a proper meeting though. We definitely need a table for that. A round one should be good, yes?"

"If you put it that way, then now is as good as any." The commander turned his back towards them and paced forward. "The fact that you three are here means that you are well-aware of the repercussions in joining the Maritime Peacekeepers. I just want to know if anyone is having second thoughts right now."

Hatsuyuki looked up. "Is this... what they call a trick question?"

"We're already commissioned under your name," Akatsuki said. "It's not something that we can just change on a whim, you know?"

"Then, I'm sure you're aware of the Peacekeeper's two-fleet restriction clause?" he said.

She tilted her head. "Why are you bringing that up now?"

"Why? Because you're free to blame the Navy for adding another clause in the agreement. Back then, both fleets of the Navy and Maritime Peacekeepers weren't so much different in terms of composition and fighting strength, but someone finally caught on and decided to water down those they can't control within reach."

"Another one, huh?" Akatsuki raised an eyebrow, staring at him. "Wait, don't you just make up things so casually! We haven't heard anything like that from the Joint Committee!"

The commander faced them again with a hand over his chin. "Well, you weren't supposed to hear this until they decide to put the mandate in effect."

Inazuma nodded. "Fleet composition has new restrictions, like how fleet commanders can only have a single battleship and aircraft carrier under their command. As per executive terms, any more will have to be reassigned and transferred to the Navy."

Akatsuki looked at her with widened eyes. "You knew?"

"Um, yeah. Remember that emergency meeting the other day? Secretary ships were told about it too."

"B-But why?" Fists trembling, she directed her glare to the floor. "Tch, is that the reason why they sent me here?"

Sensing the abrupt shift in her friend's mood, Inazuma grew flustered. "D-Don't worry, it's still tentative! We might see some changes in the final revision regarding that clause!"

"I... won't get my hopes up on that..."

"I should point out only recently commissioned officers will be affected with this mandate," the commander said. "At least, for the time being."

"Does that mean we're safe?" Akatsuki asked. "When did you get your certificates, licenses and whatnot?"

"Well, there's no point bringing it up if we were in the clear. It does feel annoying knowing that my options are already limited from the get-go."

Hatsuyuki frowned as she closed her eyes. "How unlucky. Can't we just keep quiet about it and—"

"Infraction strikes are a no-no!" Akatsuki stomped her foot as she swept the air with her hand. "Why would you even suggest something like that? Seriously, if anyone's to blame with this, it's the commander's fault for getting assigned so late!"

He simply shrugged. "For the most part, I'm not bothered with it."

"Why not? Obviously, it's just a cheap way for them to get additional resources at the expense of the UMP's Naval Force."

"You're right, but even I had to admit that they raised a valid point in regards with resource management and allocation." He raised his index finger. "Concentrating limited resources to a smaller, cost-effective fleet is inarguably more sustainable. We're a completely separate entity from the Navy—that means we won't get any help from them.

"Besides, they're already too stretched across the world to bother, and our sponsors from the Conglomerate can only provide enough resources to keep the bases running."

"Ah, of course. How did I not think of that? Maintenance alone would eat up our resources quickly, and it will have a considerable impact to the fleet's performance during missions!"

Akatsuki's mocking tone made Inazuma more uneasy. She never saw her that upset before.

The commander noticed it as well, but he didn't look bothered in the slightest. "Well, if you're not satisfied with this arrangement," he said, "you can file a request for transfer. You three are warships and I'd imagine you would want to serve the Navy instead of doing contractual work with a pretentious officer like me.

"But I will give nothing less than my all in keeping this fleet afloat. That, I can promise you."

Heavy silence took over the room. As much as she didn't want everyone to go separate ways, Inazuma couldn't force her friends to join the fleet. As for herself, her fate was set in stone the moment she enlisted herself in the UMP's Management Initiative Program. Admittedly, she could be wishy-washy at times, but her resolution to aid everyone with the best of her abilities was neither whimsical nor for show. Turning back was just unthinkable.

She imagined that Akatsuki wouldn't have any trouble coming from a special destroyer unit; it would be just work as usual for her, but returning to the Navy would be the better option opportunity-wise if she had the desire to expand her horizons further. Hatsuyuki, on the other hand, had openly expressed her disdain about the constant conflict in the open seas. Either that or she just didn't want to get beaten black and blue in grueling operations.

With all these thoughts swirling in her head, it wasn't like she hadn't anticipated and prepared for this very moment. Whatever their decision would be, she was going to respect and support them all the way.

Finally, Hatsuyuki stood up and stretched her arms. "I'm... staying."

"Th-That's good to hear, Hatsuyuki! I'm happy!"

"Besides... the Navy is infinitely stricter than here, so..."

"Hawa! That's your reason?!"

Akatsuki chuckled as she lowered her hat. "I'm in as well. If all those things that you just said are true, then I'll show them what destroyers are truly capable of. All I ask is that you treat me—no, treat us like proper ladies. Again, I'm glad to make your acquaintance, Commander."

It was only brief, but Inazuma caught him smiling. "That's that, I guess. Thank you."

"But aren't you lucky?" Akatsuki raised a hand and clenched it. "You get to start with three destroyers right off the bat! I'm sure we're off to a good start!"

Inazuma flashed a smile. "Unlike Akatsuki, Hatsuyuki and I are just starting out, so I hope we can learn a lot from you," she said. "So, shall we continue the orientation tour? We still have a lot of ground to cover too!"

* * *

Completing the orientation tour was a success, but that was only one of the many obligations of a secretary fleet girl. Inazuma was also thankful that the commander was very cooperative, and her friends were more than willing to give more details and insights on the different topics they had talked about yesterday.

She didn't get much sleep last night though. She felt restless as if she was still brimming with energy. And so, she decided to visit the office after her morning rituals. She stood in front of the commander's office and a passing chill rooted her in place.

_Wait, what if he's still asleep? I better check first._

Inazuma took a deep breath and leaned on the panel's receiver. "Good morning, Commander. It's me."

The door opened and she promptly went inside. Sitting in front of a cardboard box, the commander was busy typing on the laptop's keyboard.

Inazuma plopped down beside him, peeking at the screen. She noticed multiple documents in the background as the commander shuffled through them. He did this until he found a half-finished page with several brightly highlighted lines on it. For the commander to do his work so early in the morning was nothing short of inspiring, encouraging her to do better as well.

The commander pulled his hands away from the laptop. "If you need to use a computer, say for reports and other documents, don't hesitate to ask."  
**  
**"Um, I'm not good at using one though. It's much faster for me to write my reports instead." Inazuma giggled. "Technology surely is wonderful. Getting the format printouts of everyday documents is very convenient."

"Hmm. Maybe I should write mine once in a while too."

"Ah, don't! You should stick to the method you find more comfortable."

"Not that I'm complaining, but they're expecting us to do office tasks without the means to do so." He covered his mouth as he yawned. "But I guess I'm asking too much when they can't even provide chairs for us to sit on."

"G-Good point."

"After you gave me that terminal last night, I looked into each of your specifications, weapons systems compatibility, and other smaller stuff I was able to digest. Since you guys are only using stock equipment at the moment, I visited the development factory to order new weapons."

"Really? I'm glad to hear that!" Inazuma said. "Just make sure to use factory permits wisely since we have to pay for those."

"I'm no weapons expert, but the very least I can do is adjust your loadout according to mission conditions and parameters." His face suddenly darkened. "After coming here though, I feel like I've learned nothing in the program. Kinda frustrating."

"Oh, I have read that you went at the Naval Junction in the mainland. It's kind of like an institute for fleet commanders, right?"

The commander yawned again, his cowlick wobbling in the air. "Ah, yeah. Something like that, but calling it an institute is too much of a stretch."

"Um, didn't get much sleep last night?"

"No, I haven't slept at all."

He said it in a matter-of-fact tone that made Inazuma's eyes widen. "Eh?! Why?"

"I just couldn't sleep. It happens when I move into a new place." He rested his back against the wall. "Don't worry about it, I'll get used to it soon. It's better to finish what needs finishing while I'm at it too."

"A-Ah, I should start working now. Where did I put those files again?"

The commander patted a neat stack of folders and envelopes on top of another cardboard box. "You mean these? I already filled them up an hour ago."

Inazuma grumbled. "But that's my job!"

"Why do you sound mad? I already did your workload for today."

"Even so! What's the point of having a secretary if you're just going to shoulder everything?" Inazuma looked away. "What am I supposed to do next?"

"It's somehow my fault now? I just thought we can get the paperwork out of the way."

Silence settled in between them and her face began to scrunch on its own.

She couldn't possibly concede so early in the game. Not in her second day as a secretary fleet girl! She had to think of something!

"Ah! We should go out on a sortie today! I remembered you wanting to observe our exercises yesterday."

"A sortie, huh? If that's the case, then I better prepare too."

"Um, you want to go with us?"

Her curious tone made his eyebrows cross. "I can't?"

"It's not like you can't. Most fleet commanders don't need to go with their fleets as long as they can be monitored with adequate communication equipment. We'll need to ask for a permit in advance if you want to borrow a boat."

There was a slight tinge of disappointment in his eyes as he continued working on his laptop. "Hm, can't be helped then. I'll get our clearance as soon as I finish this last form."

"But why do you want to come with us? We can't have the commander be exposed in the open just like that." She bit her lip for a moment. "And the enemy doesn't choose their targets."

A deep sigh came from the commander. "I'll leave it at that for now, I guess."

"And if you're working all this time, it'll be best not to overdo yourself. Have you eaten your breakfast in the mess hall at least?"

His expression soured for a bit. "I was planning to until you dropped by."

"Please don't pass the blame on me." From the corner of her eye, she saw an upturned box wobble in the shadows. "C-Commander? Th-That box moved just now."

The commander stopped typing. "Oh, right. I almost forgot about her. Maybe she fell asleep?"

"Hawawa! Someone's in there?"

The box was lifted from the inside and a girl crawled out of the box. "Hatsuyuki? What were you doing in there?"

"Ah... good morning," the other destroyer said. "Did you see Akatsuki before going here?"

"She's looking for you all this time."

Hatsuyuki let out a tired sigh. "I don't wanna be her practice dummy anymore. She's just too... serious."

"Err, you mean, her practice partner?"

"Sounds the same to me. Maybe... maybe I should do secretary work to skip training too."

Their attention went to the sliding door as it opened without notice. A shadow crept towards the room, hesitating.

"Commander, are you—oh, you guys are here too." Akatsuki stomped a foot forward as she pointed at Hatsuyuki. "Aha! So this is where you've been hiding!"

Hatsuyuki's eyelids drooped. "Just go away. It was so peaceful... until you showed up."

"S-Skipping halfway through our training—you got some nerve, Hatsuyuki!"

"And you're so bossy for a non-commanding officer. I want to relax today."

"What did you say?" Akatsuki gritted her teeth. "C-Commander! You should set certain rules and priorities in place or this fleet will fall apart faster than that soggy cheesecake I had last week!"

"They sell cheesecakes here?" the commander whispered.

"Yes," Inazuma replied. "The bakery usually makes them during weekends."

Akatsuki stomped the floor again. "Don't ignore me!"

A set of knocks interrupted their banter, then they heard a soft female voice from the intercom's receiver. Inazuma was surprised; she didn't expect that the office would get rowdy so early in the morning.

"Um, good morning. Delivery for Admiral Yuu, S18 Pathfinding Unit?"

"The door's open," he replied.

The newcomer was a fellow fleet girl, pulling a loaded trolley behind her.

"You... You're a Sendai-class cruiser," Akatsuki said.

"That's right. I'm Jintsuu, hope to make your acquaintance." The light cruiser picked up a small rectangular box from the trolley's basket as her eyes focused on a piece of paper in her other hand. "I see. This box contains your fleet girl equipment order. Please check them thoroughly."

The purple-haired girl turned to the commander. "You started developments already? How thoughtful of you."

Inazuma thought that the upper box on the trolley wobbled for a bit, but she brushed it aside as she took the equipment box and removed its paper wrappings. Opening the box, she brought out a thin crystal case. "Commander, you had these developed in bulk?"

"They were having some sort of limited-time promo for new commanders earlier and I did remember something about a card holder. Maybe that's the one they're talking about?" he said. "Check them if they're anything useful."

She inhaled deeply. "Commander, how much did you spend making these?"

He paused for a moment. "N-Now that you mentioned it—"

"According to the receipt," Jintsuu said, "it was a bulk order of fifteen items. And each order used up a total of eighty resource points. With the promo in effect, it should only cost you sixty points per order."

"Nine hundred, right?" Hatsuyuki said.

Inazuma's eyes narrowed. "That was all of our initial provisions gone in a flash, but we're still okay as long as we don't spend something that much again."

"The fairies said it was a good deal," the commander replied. "Maybe it was better to put those resources in a single order after all and—"

"We pooled everything we had in the resource bank to your account, so please spend them wisely from now on."

"Don't look at me like that. It really feels like I did something stupid."

"It's not like we're wasting resources for nothing. This should be a good investment as our fleet continues to grow." Akatsuki snatched the case from Inazuma and examined the cards inside. "Hm? These aren't any different to the ones we already have. Wait, only seven? Goodness, that's just bad luck, Commander. We can't even use three of these!"

Akatsuki deployed her armaments comprising a pair of torpedo launchers, and of course, her twin gun turret as her primary weapon. She closed her eyes as the card in her hand began to glow a dim white. In seconds, one of her torpedo launchers transformed into a twin barrel anti-aircraft gun. "Hmm, equipment change is refreshing every now and then. Gone are the days of rentals too!"

The commander had a surprised look on his face. "You had to rent your equipment?"

"Other than what we already have? Of course, it's cheaper that way. We can't sustain our equipment's upkeep alone, much less upgrades and modifications."

"What about the rest?" Hatsuyuki asked the light cruiser.

"The box on the top has the navigation unit sent from the office. And the bottom box—contents aren't indicated in the list? In any case, these are all they sent today." Jintsuu handed out a clipboard and a pen to the commander. "Please sign over the line below."

Wearing a serious expression, the commander started reviewing the form. As he did, his face gradually turned to a confused one. Afterwards, he looked up to the light cruiser who tilted her head in response.

Somehow, Inazuma felt the need to know. "Commander, is something wrong?"

"I'll have to go back to the factory later for verification."

"If it's just that, then I can do that for you."

"Thank you, but let me take this just this once."

Inazuma inwardly grumbled; she was being denied of work again! "But I didn't know they can deliver orders and packages straight to the offices." She watched Akatsuki unload the boxes from the trolley. "Was that always the case?"

"Um... I'm terribly sorry. I have no idea." The light cruiser took the signed form and fastened it on a folder. "I'm just helping them out today."

"Aah! What's the meaning of this?" The purple-haired destroyer pulled out a stuffed penguin from the larger box. "Why are they even sending these to us? I'm starting to think they're doing this on purpose!"

Jintsuu blinked, making a small smile. "S-So, that explains the lightness of the packages."

"What about the other one? You mentioned about a navigation unit, right?"

Inazuma and the rest exchanged looks as they suddenly heard voices coming from the remaining unopened box:

_"Isn't it about time we reveal ourselves? At this rate, they're going to ruin the surprise."_

_"Can we just do this normally? This is a bit..."_

_"Come on, just like we rehearsed! Preemptive strike, go!"_

With a burst of glitter and confetti, three small figures hopped out of the box and ran towards the commander.

"Hawawa?!" Inazuma recoiled. "That scared me! What are they doing in there?"

The crimson-haired fairy wearing a sun clip bounced up and down. "Heya! I'm Ram!"

The more reserved fairy with a crescent moon clip smiled. "Hello, my name's Luna."

Lastly, the fairy with a bowler hat over her head walked forward and curtsied. "Pleased to meet you. You may refer to me as Aster. The three of us are assigned—"

"Are they equipment too?" the commander asked, looking at Jintsuu. "Or did they get mixed in there somehow?"

"How rude!" Aster tapped a silver cane next to her feet, placing her free hand on her waist. "We are a special unit dedicated in maritime navigation. You will require our services to overcome the irregularities permeating the seas beyond here."

"Yup, yup! Other navigation systems simply can't compare to us!" Ram said, nodding. "We're low maintenance too! Don't worry about budget!"

Everyone shared a single expression on their faces while they stared at the fairies. Aster only shook her head, her lips forming a smile.

"What's with that look of disbelief? If you're having doubts in our abilities, I suggest you should send out your fleet on a sortie posthaste!"

"Good idea," Akatsuki replied. "Commander, how about it?"

"A sortie?" Hatsuyuki hid under the box again. "Good luck, everyone."

"That settles it! We're going out. Now!"

And so, they did.

After an hour of preparation, the destroyers took off to the waters southwest of the island. With the calm sea and clear blue sky, it was a perfect day to get some practice done.

Inazuma tapped on her earpiece as she raced against the wind. "Commander? Flagship Inazuma, checking in."

"A bit fuzzy, but this should do. Any updates?"

"It's peaceful sailing, Commander. No problems here!"

"No signs of any hostile fleet so far." Akatsuki put a hand over her eyes, squinting at the horizon. "Well, that's to be expected since we haven't traveled that far yet."

"According to earlier statistical reports, the encounter rate with smaller abyssal ships is quite low outside the initial cluster chain," the commander said. "Why's that? Even forty nautical miles is already far enough."

"They usually avoid populated islands, especially those with naval installments. But I'm wondering about it too."

"But isn't that a good thing?" Inazuma said, looking at Akatsuki. "The sea areas are more peaceful now."

Akatsuki smiled. "I can't argue with that."

"Or... they might be plotting something we don't know yet," Hatsuyuki said. "It could be... anything."

"That's even rarer, coming from you. Do you now understand why you shouldn't play hooky during practice? How will you become a bona fide lady if you keep up that attitude?"

They went further ahead until the surroundings became hazy. Inazuma and the others skidded to a stop as they assessed the dense fog that obscured even sunlight from above. The encompassing, unnatural chill worried her every time they entered such place.

"We hit a miasma cluster," Akatsuki said. "Do your work fairies."

"Affirmative," Aster replied. "Ram, if you would? And Miss Inazuma, please stay still for a moment."

Inazuma did just that as she breathed in deeply to relax herself, clearing out her thoughts.

"Are you sure we can trust this?" the commander said. "This fairy just rolled the damn compass on the floor and—"

"Shut up, shut up! Don't you dare question my methods ever again!" Ram coughed twice. "You girls should go northeast! That's where the jackpot is!"

"Alright. If she's on the money with this forecast, you should arrive at an abandoned assembly sector shortly."

Akatsuki faced to said direction. "Wilco. Proceeding now."

"I still don't get what she meant with the jackpot thing, so I advise caution from here on out."

As they exited the miasma cluster, they spotted a washed-out structure jutting out of an island's cliffside several miles from their position. They also noticed several floating objects up ahead. As they got closer, it became more apparent that the items in question were actually supply crates and barrels. Inazuma could hear the resounding cheer of Ram in the background, demanding praise from the commander.

"I know they already sealed this issue with the rules of secure acquisition," he said, "but picking up oil barrels like this doesn't make it more convincing."

Akatsuki looked around. "If the Conglomerate said so, we should do them a favor and grab as many as we can carry. It will be a waste if we didn't."

"And come to think of it, where are those supply items coming from?"

"Heh. You sure ask a lot of questions," she said, brushing a barrel with her hand. "Truth is, we have no idea too."

"They just spawn out of nowhere, huh?"

"Presumably, most of these are coming from the wreckage of numerous transport vessels that didn't get so lucky." She sat on the barrel. "And there are also several forward outposts within the cluster chain that were abandoned a few years ago, so we can only guess if the enemy already burned them down to the ground. Maybe they want us to play treasure hunt with all these items littering the sea areas."

"Makes sense. This could be our lucky break today, so let's bring what we can carry and go back for now."

"We can earn a few brownie points if we notify the other fleets back in HQ too. I doubt we'll be able to enter this area again anyway."

"I can point you to that place again if I tried!" Ram said.

Akatsuki tilted her head to the side. "Uh, we better not. And to risk something that we haven't earned yet is just ridiculous."

With Hatsuyuki's help, Inazuma loaded two supply crates on her core structure's rear brackets, causing her feet to submerge a little. "Yup, this should be enough. Thank you," she said. "How about you take that barrel over there?"

"Hold on. Looks like we have company." Akatsuki stood up. "Distance: 5100, west-northwest. Moving in at around 30 knots."

Hatsuyuki's eyes darted to the left as she held her gun close. "Ugh, I didn't ask for this."

"Load your guns, ladies. This could be the fight we're looking for."

Inazuma looked up from her forearm terminal to see a white trail speeding towards them. "Split, now!"

They hurried into different directions seconds before a hostile torpedo wholly consumed the space they were in before. Inazuma covered her eyes from the massive splash as she glided backwards. Her main turret clanged and rattled behind her as she assumed combat procedures. "Akatsuki! Hatsuyuki! Should we retreat? We're outnumbered!"

"Not an option! Don't disappoint the commander now!" Akatsuki hopped and twirled around as she released two pairs of torpedoes midair. The torpedoes plunged into the water as they raced straight ahead, fanning outwards. "Almost there. Get ready!"

"What's the enemy's fleet composition?" the commander asked. "Make sure to take note of their formation as well."

Numerous black figures with distinct facial features tore through the water's surface. Inazuma clenched her teeth as she quietly calmed herself, double-checking her weapons before the ensuing fight. With an audible click, she released the crates on her back and regrouped with her friends.

"Six I-class destroyers. We can handle this," Akatsuki said, looking back. "They're picking up speed right now, but I'll lure them in a line so you two can get a clearer shot. Hit them hard, okay?"

Hatsuyuki rested a finger on her main gun's trigger mechanism. "Roger."

Four huge torrents burst from the distance. As the water settled down, several thin trails of black smoke wafted from the wreckage of an enemy destroyer.

Akatsuki grinned, her piercing glare focused on the abyssal destroyers. The water ripples beneath her swelled as she crouched down, placing a foot forward. And with a powerful kick, she launched herself into the fray, splashing copious amounts of droplets in her wake. "Now engaging enemy fleet!"

The immediate sea area quickly became a battlefield with the fierce exchange of artillery and torpedoes from both sides. Executing their plan, Akatsuki managed to attract the attention of three destroyers as she continued her relentless barrage through their formation. Hatsuyuki moved in from the flank, scoring a kill with accurate shots on one of them. Meanwhile, Inazuma supported her from the rear, laying down cover for Hatsuyuki as she weaved away to safety.

Akatsuki made a sudden right turn, but the closest abyssal destroyer in pursuit made a bold attempt to close the gap as it jumped out of the water. Opening its mouth, the destroyer launched a shell towards Akatsuki, creating a large water column as it struck the water behind her.

It was a grave mistake on its part however, as Inazuma and Hatsuyuki seized the timely chance of firing at the exposed enemy. Sandwiched between the gunfire, the incapacitated abyssal ship made a huge splash as it crashed into the water. They shot at it again, finally sending it back to sleep into the depths below.

"Akatsuki, don't overdo it!" the secretary cried.

Her clothes were singed and tattered, but she didn't seem to have any apparent injuries. "I know! Thanks for the cover fire!"

The remaining enemies dispersed as they fired at them from a distance. Inazuma retaliated with angled shots from her gun, but she had yet to land a hit. The abyssal destroyers were bigger targets compared to them, but their size didn't hinder their speed at all.

"Inazuma, watch your six!"

Her eyes widened as she turned; the enemy had her on its sights.

She had no choice but to trade hits.

Without delay, she unloaded two torpedoes into the water. And as if it was a sleight of hand, Inazuma detached her torpedo launcher's plating with a single sweep and shielded her face at the last second. Her mind went blank for a moment as she took the high-explosive shell at full force. Shortly afterwards, her ears caught a nearby explosion and she was positive that one of her torpedoes managed a hit.

"You alright?" came Akatsuki's voice. "Keep moving or you'll get hit again!"

Pulling the shield away from her face, she saw Akatsuki making a beeline towards the damaged destroyer. She swerved to her left and dropped a torpedo in front of her. The enemy anticipated the projectile's path as it veered to the right, closing in towards her.

"Caught you now!"

Following the torpedo feint, Akatsuki blasted the enemy with a point-blank shot. The abyssal destroyer flinched as it fell on its broadside. As she skidded quite a distance backwards, she released another torpedo to finish off her target. The resulting blast sent a shower of debris all over the place.

Another explosion from the far right took Inazuma's attention. She brought her trembling hand on the side of her face as she tapped her earpiece. "H-Hatsuyuki, what's your status?"

A shadow emerged from the eruption. Then, a flash of gun fire ripped through the cascade. "Lightly damaged... but I could use some help," Hatsuyuki said. "This one can use torpedoes too."

"I'll take care of the last one," Akatsuki chimed in. "Stay sharp!"

Enveloped in a fiery glow, an abyssal destroyer maneuvered towards Hatsuyuki's blindside and fired at her. A column gushed from the blast zone, then another bigger splash followed the first.

"Hatsuyuki?! Hatsuyuki!"

Only loud static dominated her receiver as she rushed to the scene. The enemy, vicious and relentless, circled to her flank with great haste.

Inazuma shifted her weight to the side as she made a sharp turn to her left. If she wanted to do some serious damage in a single shot, she would have to get close. Abyssal destroyers always adhered to such method, but it was only because they had to compensate for their main gun's limitations.

_One close shot. Just one!_

Before she could get into range, the abyssal ship already fired. Her instincts told her to evade, but the projectile demonstrated that it wouldn't be necessary as it only struck the water ahead of her.

There was a momentary relief on her part as she slowed down, but when she stirred away from the torrent, a powerful blast consumed her senses. Indescribable pain shook her tiny frame as she got thrown off her feet, bouncing off the water once before landing on all fours. The throbbing from her limbs eventually subsided, but her mind had yet to recover from the trauma.

Two consecutive explosions brought her out of her stupor, and a drenched and ragged Hatsuyuki supported her from behind. "How are you feeling, flagship?"

Aside from being covered with scorch marks everywhere, one of her sleeves got torn up to the shoulder. Her skirt became charred and tattered, and a part of her undershirt had been exposed as well.

With a muffled cry, Inazuma struggled to cover herself as she felt her undershirt crawling down her skin. "I... I'm fine! But my clothes are... this isn't good at all!"

"You're more worried about your clothes?!" the commander said.

"Tch, lucky shot." Akatsuki also appeared from behind as she checked on Inazuma. "But you're luckier since it wasn't a direct hit. We might have to tow you back otherwise. Can you move?"

"Y-Yes! My arm feels sluggish," Inazuma said, standing up, "but I can still fight!"

"Good, since we're not yet done here."

Inazuma looked up with a worried expression on her face. "What do you mean, Akatsuki?"

"West-southwest. Distance: 4600." Akatsuki stared at her terminal. "I'm only getting two blips, but I won't take any chances here."

"Reinforcements?"

"I'm not sure. They haven't moved since I caught them on radar. And it doesn't look like—they're moving again?" Akatsuki tapped her gun twice. "What's our plan, Commander?"

"Only two surface ships?" The commander paused. "That means... no! Get away from there!"

"Tch, fall back!" Akatsuki dashed to the opposite direction. Inazuma and Hatsuyuki chased after her as the two of them exchanged looks.

"What's going on?" Hatsuyuki asked.

"Listen, we should just—" She made a full stop and looked at her terminal again. "Huh? Give me a moment."

"Maybe... I should've gotten a radar."

Inazuma giggled. "I'm clueless too. My operator is still rattled from that last attack."

"Commander, they're now heading northwest. Almost out of range." Akatsuki stomped her foot. "Argh! What's up with them, getting us worked up over nothing?!"

"Forget those supplies, you should hurry back for now," the commander said. "You will be at a disadvantage if you get caught in another engagement."

"You worry too much." She raised her portable turret. "Fleet girls don't sink that easily."

"Y-Yeah," Inazuma said, "after all the resources you've spent on development, there's no way we'll go back empty-handed. And in case you forgot, you'll need resources for repairs and maintenance."

"Alright, if you say so." He sighed. "I've collected the data I needed anyway. Take those supplies back to base and earn yourselves a rest."

"And seeing the mess we made here," Akatsuki said, scanning the area, "let's just hope we can still find a lucky few floating nearby."

Hatsuyuki squinted at the purple-haired girl. "Why do you have to say that? Inazuma... we know who to blame if we didn't get any."

"T-Take that back! We haven't even searched yet!" Hatsuyuki whispered something to herself, which only agitated Akatsuki even more. "Hey, what was that just now?!"

Fixing the fringes above her eyes, Hatsuyuki looked away. "Nothing. Let's finish this... okay?"


	2. Anchor, Set!

**01—Anchor, Set!**

* * *

It was already evening when Inazuma's fleet reached the headquarters' launch bay.

Located at the northwestern coast of Auspice Port Island, the launch bay served as a forward hub for UMP branches operating in the Caffelatte Sea. Groups of fleet girls dotted the area, either wrapping up their afternoon exercises or just plain loafing around until the skies darkens. Small warships and auxiliary vessels lined up the docks as well, forming an intricate maze within the breakwater's enclosure.

Inazuma stopped just before the gates as she looked back to gaze at the setting sun. They had survived another perilous encounter earlier—a blessing she would always pray for before taking off to the sea. But today was extra special because their fleet had gained an extra member.

They found the fleet girl on the way back on the outskirts of a miasma cluster. Somehow, the navigation fairies' weird usage of their compass could produce such benefits too aside from pointing them toward hostile sea areas and needlessly wasting resources altogether.

Mesmerized by the view before her, she barely heard a familiar voice calling out to her:

"Jeez, stop spacing out! Don't you want to get patched up quickly?"

She shook her head, turning around to see Akatsuki sailing towards her. "A-Ah, were you waiting for me?"

"Well, what do you think of today's operation?"

Coming from a seasoned fleet girl like her, it was already a giveaway that she would show interest in post-engagement analysis. She insisted that they should make it a habit to review their combat performance coming from every sortie, but she would often get too enthusiastic that it would almost guarantee more bickering with Hatsuyuki.

By that point, a speedy intervention would be the only answer if Inazuma wanted a lively dinner table later in the evening. Besides, she didn't want Akatsuki to get all gloomy throughout the night. Her pouty face could be quite contagious after a while.

Clutching her bruised arm, Inazuma watched the ripples beneath her feet as she was thinking of an answer. "It was hard. Going up against two heavy cruisers was unexpected too, but we're lucky they showed up after we had finished probing the area."

"It's a battlefield out there." The purple-haired girl furrowed her eyebrows. "It's only natural that things won't always go as planned. And fleet girls like us should never put their guard down."

The secretary contemplated on those words for a moment and sighed. "In other words, more training... right?"

"That goes without saying. And why did it feel that there's some teensy tiny spite in your voice just now?"

She panicked as her hands became a frantic blur. "E-Eh? I... I'm sure you're just imagining it!"

"Really? That Hatsuyuki needs to get her act together too."

"Please go easy on her. I think she did great earlier."

"I know, but still—"

Akatsuki's eyes darted to the left, prompting Inazuma to follow suit. She let out a gasp as she saw Hatsuyuki with only a blue bath towel covering herself. She didn't mind the inquisitive stares of the other fleet girls on the platform cranes. "Are you two... done? We just finished preparing the tub."

The purple-haired girl shrugged and smiled. "In any case, let's just try harder next time."

The two already entered the cave as Inazuma looked towards the horizon for the last time. She saw something earlier that didn't look right. In her eyes, it looked like a smudge on a pretty landscape picture.

It was out of place. Distracting.

Yet, she could feel that it was gazing right at her.

It was a strange occurrence for sure, but she felt the need to watch out for these intrusive spots in the skies more. She turned around and sped through the newly illuminated passageway to catch up to her friends.

The docks extended deep into the littoral cave beneath their headquarters. Upon reaching the cave's main chamber, they were greeted by a few other fleet girls chatting next to the platforms. On their left, the maintenance staff saluted towards them while depositing supply items brought in by the expedition fleets. Every time Inazuma visited the place, it was as if the people there never sleep, constantly moving about like the currents of the seas.

The trio climbed on one of the slipways next to a dry dock. Reaching the platform, Inazuma felt the need to stretch her limbs. She couldn't wait to soak herself in the hot springs as reward for today's operation. And after that, downing a cold bottle of milk was an absolute must to complete the experience.

As they made their way to the hot springs, they bumped into Shirayuki who just exited the sickbay. For some reason, she had a solemn look on her face. "What's wrong?" Hatsuyuki asked.

She didn't speak. Instead, she motioned them to follow her, stopping in front of the sickbay's entrance for a moment. Inside the lobby, a group of fleet girls were gathered together with somber expressions. One of them had her face buried in her hands, shoulders heaving as she wept silently. Behind them was a female officer staring blankly at the floor. Inazuma's heart sunk as she knew the officer personally from all the meetings she had attended so far.

"Commander Yurie," she whispered. "Does that mean Yayoi was..."

They continued to walk until they reached the entrance towards the hot springs.

"That makes her our fourth victim." Akatsuki shook her head. "And the reports are inconsistent at best. How are we supposed to stop these abductions?"

Inazuma instinctively placed a hand over her chest. "I don't know. I'm really worried."

Fleet commanders were called in a strategy assembly three days ago to inform them of the recent developments regarding these incidents, but she was already expecting another meeting any time soon. Chief Officer Amagi had deployed search and rescue units in the sea sectors where the victims disappeared, but their efforts had been for naught so far.

"I read an article of it," Hatsuyuki said. "A shadow-like figure... is a common trait in the accounts."

"Could it be that it's the work of the fabled Umibozu?" Shirayuki asked.

Inazuma had her interest piqued. "Umibozu? Can you tell us more?"

"Well," Shirayuki began, "Umibozu are said to be fearsome spirits that haunt the seas. They usually look like a giant mass of black haze that resembles a person's silhouette. They are known for attacking ships, dragging them down to the depths with their powerful arms. "

She shivered as her imagination started to run amok. "T-That's scary."

"In other stories, they can transform to other shapes. Like a sea monster or—"

"Th-That doesn't make sense!" Akatsuki said. "I'm sure it's just some kind of hallucination. When you lose your cool out there, you're bound to see things like that."

"But... it does match a few descriptions," Hatsuyuki said. "Witnesses also saw a figure of girl shrouded in glowing... white fog."

"Isn't that a funa yurei?" Shirayuki said. "These spirits are filled with spite, often tricking their victims into their untimely death. They can be rather direct like the Umibozu, so fleet girls are at risk of—"

"W-We're really blaming sea spirits now?" Akatsuki's eyelids fluttered as her face began to lose color. "Abyssal ships are still our likely culprit here! Please take this matter seriously!"

Hatsuyuki pointed at the purple-haired girl's knees, which were visibly shaking. "We can see you're taking this well."

"Shut up! A woman of my stature isn't afraid of make-believe stories! All these speculations won't help anyway!"

Shirayuki's shoulders slumped as she looked at her feet. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make fun of these incidents. It was selfish of me to even think of such things to begin with. I'm really sorry."

"U-Um, it's okay!" Inazuma said. "It's anyone's guess until the culprit is properly identified anyway."

Akatsuki rubbed her chin. "But why would the abyssal fleet abduct their enemies? I've read reports of abyssal submarines that tried to pull fleet girls into the water, but it's a suicidal tactic. A fleet girl can't drown unless she was already incapacitated from too much damage."

"Maybe, maybe it's because of—"

"Nope," she replied. "That theory was discredited years ago. Why do you still believe it?"

"Eh? I wasn't even finished."

"But you're going to say that anyway."

Hatsuyuki pointed at the hot springs' reception area. "I wanna go bathe now."

"Ugh, we only wasted our time here." Akatsuki stomped her foot. "We should have talked in the springs instead."

"It's... your fault. You talk too much."

"Why you—"

Inazuma placed herself between the two. "U-Um, I'm sure everyone is just exhausted, so let's take our time in the hot springs and relax. Is that okay?"

"Hatsuyuki," Shirayuki said, "you shouldn't say rude things to your friends."

"But it's true," the black-haired girl replied.

Akatsuki bit her lip. "You have no room to talk like that!"

"So you're not denying it?"

"P-Please, knock it off already!"

Inazuma's voice was louder than she had intended it to be. Without uttering another word, the two destroyers turned their backs at each other. That would have to do for now.

"Ah yes," Shirayuki said, "that reminds me. The locals will be having a festival two weeks from now. A company from the Conglomerate will also sponsor the events in the economic district."

"Um, I've never been one before," Inazuma said. "I wonder if it's okay to go there."

"We can ask him if you want," Akatsuki replied, "but we should go inside. A certain someone might start throwing tantrums if we didn't."

Hatsuyuki balled up her hands, glaring at Akatsuki with a flustered face. Inazuma sighed. The day was far from over, it would seem.

They entered through the fleet girl section of the springs, which was also the most spacious section compared to the other facilities. As they reached the busy locker room, they removed their battle-stained clothes, took a quick bath in the shower booths, and made their way towards a partitioned bath that Hatsuyuki had reserved for them.

Dipping her body into the steaming water, Inazuma's thoughts drifted away as she stared at the rocky ceiling of the bath. Just like how they found the fleet girl earlier, she remembered that the hot springs had a similar story going with it too.

During her early days there, she had heard that the seawater hot springs were only found by accident during the restoration and expansion process of the underground hangar. Delighted with this wonderful discovery, the executives overseeing the project made no reservations and proceeded to build facilities around the springs.

The local workers believed that it was a gift from the island's guardian deity, and driving off the abyssal fleet's presence in the island's waters was apparently the key to access these springs. Boasting strong therapeutic properties, the hot springs became so popular that even fleet girls from nearby installments would drop by to take a quick dip.

Nature's wonders truly never ceased to impress her.

Their time in the hot springs was spent in silence, but she could still sense the lingering bitterness between Akatsuki and Hatsuyuki. She didn't have to worry about them too much; she was more than certain everything would be right as rain later on.

After they freshened themselves up, they went straight to the commander's office. Inazuma recalled that the commander seemed to be in a hurry when she last checked in over the radio—it was around the time they found a fleet girl inside a miasma cluster too.

As the door slid open, they weren't greeted by a dark room this time. The unusual arrangement of the cardboard boxes caught their attention first, and on top of a long rectangular box was a variety of dishes displayed in plastic containers. She also spotted pasta, cupcakes, and donuts on a box next to the wall too.

The commander sat on the opposite end of the room this time. He took his eyes off the laptop, closing it as he stood up.

"What's with all the food, Commander?" Inazuma asked.

Hatsuyuki brought out her smartphone, tapping on its screen. "An... occasion? What could it be?"

"I decided on this after you guys got us a new recruit," the commander said. "Think of this as a reward for working hard since day one."

Akatsuki crossed her arms. "Hold on. Didn't you tell us yesterday that we need to save up for urgent assignments?"

"I knew you'd say that. I didn't use the fleet's funds to buy these."

"Your treat, huh? That's fine with me."

Shirayuki took several steps backwards. "I don't think I should be here. Thank you for your offer, but I really need to get going and—"

Before she could turn around and escape, Hatsuyuki stepped before the doorway. "Commander, is it okay for her... to stay?" she asked.

The commander raised an eyebrow. "I don't see any reason why she can't join us."

"H-Hatsuyuki? What are you saying? I'm not a member of this fleet and it will be a great bother for your commander to entertain someone like me!"

Everyone looked at Shirayuki, who started to sweat bullets.

"Oh, is that it? Why didn't you say so? Join our fleet then," Akatsuki said, sitting down on a cardboard box. "If you're worried about paperwork, we'll take care of the transfer process for you."

Inazuma nodded. "Yeah, leave the procedural forms to me! What do you think, Commander?"

"While we can still accommodate a few more destroyers in the fleet," he said, "I don't want you to feel that we forced you into joining us. You're part of a reserve unit for quite some time now, but it's for the best if you think through our offer first."

"Y-Yes, I'll think about it." Shirayuki faced the commander and bowed. "Thank you very much, Commander Yuu."

"By the way, our previous offer still stands. Think of it as thanks for looking after everyone in the fleet."

She bowed again. "I'm only doing my job, but thank you for your generosity."

Akatsuki clasped both hands on her back as she examined the meals one at a time. "Hmm? I was expecting something grander, but this is fine too."

Narrowing his eyes, the commander opened up a plastic bag that contained eating utensils. "The recruit can have your share if you don't feel like eating tonight."

"Hey, don't you dare speak on my behalf! In fact, I'm so famished that I'm willing to try out the whole menu!"

"That's not a ladylike thing to say, is it?"

"As if you know anything about that!"

Inazuma was finished looking at the dishes as well. "These look delicious. Thank you for treating us, Commander!"

"This is nothing compared to your efforts out there," the commander said, rubbing his chin. "Hmm... I'm sure it's okay to do this once in a while, but..."

"Why are you mumbling like that?"

Suddenly, Jintsuu and the new fleet girl entered the room. The latter had her brown hair in a jumbled mess, which was an amusing sight. Her matching black uniform easily stood out in the room. "Sorry! They had to send me to the armory compound first and—oh, everyone's already here?"

"Um, what did we miss?" the light cruiser uttered, blinking her eyes. When Inazuma told her about how the commander set up a dinner treat, she started to fidget. "Um, I haven't done much at all compared to our secretary and drill instructor. I'm not sure if I deserve this."

"Nonsense, we're a team here. You've already done a great deal in lighting up the load for the others." He looked towards Inazuma. "So, I presume she's the one?"

"Thank you for rescuing me out there!" The new member saluted. "I'm Fumizuki, I hope we could be friends!"

He leaned forward, staring at Fumizuki. "How convenient. I never knew we can get palette swaps," he said. "Does she have any unique traits at least, Inazuma?"

Hatsuyuki covered her mouth as she looked to her side, barely holding back a chuckle. Taken aback, Inazuma launched a disapproving stare towards the commander. "You sound disappointed. Why do you sound disappointed?!"

Akatsuki raised an eyebrow. "Whatever are you talking about? She's a Mutsuki-class destroyer, if you want the specifics."

"I'm not some lazy reskin either! I'm the real deal!" Fumizuki inflated her cheeks and squinted her eyes. "But thank you for taking me in. I'll do my share too!"

"Glad to hear that," he said, taking off his beret. "And don't look at me like you're about to put a hole between my eyes, Akatsuki."

"Hey, hey, hey! Are you forgetting us?!" Ram glided through the window, glancing back. Despite her size, she was also carrying a knapsack twice her size. "Hey, hurry up! They're starting!"

Luna and Aster followed with large bags of their own, landing on the commander's box table. "Ah," he said, "I was wondering if you three got lost out there."

"It took us a while to get everything we need." Aster took away her hat, fixing her saffron hair. "But all is well since we made it just in time. Thank you for waiting."

Luna collapsed as she breathed in deeply. "The wind became strong and scary on the way back too. I wonder why?"

Aster looked at Inazuma. "Can we now invite the rest to this feast?"

"Ah! Of course!" She exchanged looks with the others. "Ready, everyone?"

Bathed in a warm glow, the fleet girls summoned their equipment. One by one, little figures popped out from their turrets, mounts, and even the funnels on their backs. These ship crew fairies, working just as hard as everybody else, deserved a much needed break as well. They hopped down to the floor, swarming towards an unfolded cardboard box covered with a picnic cloth.

The commander motioned at everyone to get their plates and utensils. And with his signal, they started their dinner.

Inazuma stood back for a while as she watched the others fill up their plates. Initiating a preemptive strike, Akatsuki and Fumizuki went to pick up the some spaghetti and desserts first, but Ram and a few other fairies quickly protested. After all, the buffet seemed to be excessive at first glance, but most of the dishes had limited servings.

She felt that they just avoided a disastrous situation, thanks to Shirayuki and the commander's timely intervention.

Amidst the commotion, Hatsuyuki got everything she wanted under a minute and settled on her usual place near the stacks of cardboard boxes. Jintsuu was the exact opposite as she took her time with the selection. On the other side of the line, the commander helped the fairies to get their share of the food. The little cutesy ones were lively as always as they gathered around him; a few of them even began clinging on his pants and cloak.

As for herself, she got a serving of rice, stir-fried veggies, breaded prawns, and fish fillet topped with sour cream. When she was done, she plopped down next to the commander staring vacantly at his crowded plate.

"What's wrong, Commander?" Inazuma asked.

He took his data terminal and tapped on its screen. "It can wait until tomorrow. You should relax tonight."

"That won't do. You can tell me what's bothering you. Is it about the recent disappearances?"

"There's that, but I have something else in mind."

He turned his head to look at her. His stern expression eventually softened, but he didn't utter another word.

"Commander? Um, what's with the silent treatment?"

He shook his head, setting the terminal aside. "I just remembered something that I shouldn't have. It's nothing you should fuss about."

She fell silent as their exchange came to a grinding halt. She already saw it coming miles away, but she also knew that she wouldn't be able to do anything despite her best intentions.

It was a pattern that she had grown to dislike.

Admittedly, she didn't know much about him. Even when they worked together in the same room for days, they wouldn't talk much.

But she didn't come off completely blameless in this matter though. At times, she would get so engrossed in her paperwork that she wouldn't notice other people entering the room. She wasn't much of a conversationalist either, so it was a struggle for her to find the right opening to ask her concerns. Sure, if she were to ask him about combat strategies or financing, he would be quick to help with her troubles. But asking him directly about his life story and whatnot? No way. She couldn't possibly do that!

Add up the fact that he also had this uncanny ability to conceal his presence as if he was never there. It could be argued that he never had much striking presence to begin with, but would he really go out of his way to distance himself from everyone? She could only wonder why.

And those keen eyes of his—they carried something else. Kept and hidden from everyone.

She wanted to know the meaning behind those eyes. And to find out his secrets, she had to strengthen her resolve and strike as discreetly as she could. But how? This was an operation that proved to be too difficult for a humble destroyer like her.

Still, at the end of the day, her responsibilities as the fleet's secretary should take precedence over her selfish whims.

Inazuma had finished her plate, but she still had plenty of room left for sugary treats. After seeing the different flavors and toppings of the cupcakes and donuts, she couldn't possibly miss out on those delectable treats. Her friends had already cleared their respective plates as they got new ones for dessert.

She glanced at the commander who had returned to refill his plate for the third time, not showing any signs of slowing down. "I still have to relay my report to you," she said. "Tomorrow is a day off, but I wanted to finish my papers tonight."

"That can wait too. You sure are a workaholic."

"Eh? I am?"

"You always put on a grumpy face whenever I take some of the documents off your table."

"I... I don't do that! And it's your fault for taking my papers for yourself!"

"I can't believe I'm being reprimanded for doing my job. This place is just weird."

"T-That's not weird at all! You can't just shoulder everything needlessly!"

The world, or at least the room and its occupants, seemed to have stopped that very moment as she was now finally aware of the curious stares around her. Some had their lips curled into knowing smiles. Inazuma didn't like the situation one bit, and it was only a matter of time before everything spirals out of control.

With a gulp, she slowly eyed the commander who remained stiff and straight-faced. "What's the matter?" he asked.

Akatsuki smiled. "Aren't you two getting a bit chummy there?"

He returned a similar smile. "Though not as much as your plate's sugar content."

"Wh-What are you saying?"

"I thought a highly regarded lady like you would be more conscious with the food she eats. I guess I was mistaken?"

Akatsuki's gaze slowly landed to her plate, and her lips quivered. As the commander bluntly pointed out, her plate was indeed decorated with a colorful medley of scrumptious sweets. She gritted her teeth, glaring at the commander. Then, she took a cupcake and shifted her body away from him. Behind her, Hatsuyuki gave the commander a thumbs up.

For him to neutralize the situation efficiently impressed Inazuma. Truly, it was an ability every aspiring commander should have!

Well, sort of.

After taking a big spoonful of rice and prawn, his eyes wandered towards their newest member. "Fumizuki, can you spare a moment?"

Alarm bells went off in her head when Inazuma heard this, and she glared at the commander. As if sensing the hostility aimed at him, he looked at her with half-closed eyes. A small whimper escaped her lips and she shrunk back away from him. He continued to stare at her, his head slightly hanging to one side. "What is it now?"

She struggled to maintain her cool. "N-No weird and random questions please. Last time was—"

"Don't worry, Inazuma," Jintsuu said, waving a hand. "It's fine. Really!"

He sighed and turned his attention again to the newcomer. "Your memories before they found you out there. Can't you remember anything at all?"

Looking up from her plate, the fleet girl puckered her lips as she closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, Commander. Even I'm confused if I should really remember anything in the first place."

"So it's just as if you're a hatchling. No helping it then."

"It could be the miasma's fault," Akatsuki said. "Staying in a cluster for too long gives adverse effects to fleet girls, but she may be just your typical vagrant after all."

Fumizuki took a bite from her half-eaten donut, eyeing the commander's wobbling cowlick. "Err...can I ask the commander too? Since I'll be in your care, what exactly our fleet is doing?"

"Please mind your manners. You shouldn't speak while you still have food in your mouth because..."

Ignoring Akatsuki's lengthy speech about proper mealtime etiquette, the commander took a quick sip from his plastic cup. "It's exactly what it sounds like."

Fumizuki glanced up to the ceiling, putting a forefinger on her chin. "Pathfinding? Isn't it the same as doing recon ops?"

"Yes, we help out in those missions from time to time, but our unit's operations focus on something quite different."

"How different?"

"Remember those foggy areas we passed through earlier?" Inazuma asked. "We are often sent there for us to determine the different phenomena occurring within them."

"Hmm, I still don't get it." Fumizuki paused for a bit. She finished up her donut and downed her soda. "What do you there exactly?"

"We collect different kinds of data inside a cluster—temperature, humidity, wind speed, mag-ion levels, and all sorts of things. We then pass these data to our researchers in the organization for them to study."

"Yeah," Ram chimed in, "with all those fog in the way, it's easy to get lost and wander off course! We navigation fairies make sure that doesn't happen!"

Fumizuki grabbed Luna from behind, petting the fairy's head. "I see! It's good that we have you guys to help us!"

The fairy tried to escape, but her struggles proved to be ineffective on the grinning fleet girl. "P-Please don't pat me too much."

"I think I'm starting to get it, but is it really that dangerous going into those foggy places?"

Aster nodded, stirring a tiny mug with a tinier teaspoon. "You will lose your bearing inside a miasma cluster as navigation devices don't work under its influence," she said. "Compared to the traditional and electronic means of marine navigation, our methods are akin to weather forecasting in which we narrow down certain patterns and elements inside a cluster. From there, we deduce the result with the least margin of error."

"To put it simply, it's all just a bunch of RNG," the commander whispered, massaging his forehead with his fingertips.

Inazuma glanced at him. _I keep hearing this RNG thing from him. Maybe I should ask him later about it._

A pungent yet soothing scent wafted from the fairy's mug. "Even if all the branching paths were already determined, there would be no assurance that you will reach your desired sea area." She closed her eyes and took a sip of the coffee. "Thus, there's no such thing as a definite course when crossing a cluster. Do you now understand, Miss Fumizuki?"

"There's no other way around it?" the destroyer asked.

"The clusters are just as worse underwater," the commander replied, "and relying on air transport isn't practical. Well, unless you're willing to waste millions of dollars for recon efforts alone."

"It's like... navigating a randomly-generated dungeon," Hatsuyuki added.

"Huh! That makes sense."

"In what aspect did that make any sense to you?" Akatsuki pointed her fork at Fumizuki. "The whole thing is just ridiculous!"

"Um, I mean, it would be bad for the enemy if we could just go straight to their bases, right? I think it's only natural for them to have something like that."

"If you put it that way—huh, you're sharper than you look."

Fumizuki giggled. "Thank you. I will do my best with the data gathering too!"

"The good thing is," he said, "the abyssal fleet's presence beyond the main cluster chain is next to nothing. Caffelatte is quite self-contained. It's like they enclosed themselves in a fence to keep us out."

Inazuma thought to herself for a moment. "Have they attacked a naval base before?" she asked. "Or any coastal settlement for that matter?"

"Two separate incidents, I think?" Akatsuki replied. "Both happened in the early years of the war."

"Do you know anything about it, Commander?"

He opened his mouth to speak but decided against it for a moment. "Look it up later if you're curious."

It was a response she didn't expect to hear. It didn't feel right, but forcing it out of him wouldn't be the best alternative either. "More importantly, are you forgetting something?" the purple-haired girl asked. "We have yet to name our flag!"

He let out another sigh. "Is it that important to you?"

"This wouldn't be a problem if Commander didn't have a terrible naming sense!"

"I haven't even suggested a name yet. How did you come up with that?"

"Is that so? Does that mean you can share a name or two with us tonight?"

Tugging his collar, the commander slowly pulled his eyes away from her. "Well..."

"See? But it doesn't matter because," Akatsuki tapped her temple with her forefinger, "all the ideas we'll ever need are all in here. This kind of thing is only natural for a lady like me, right?"

"And here we go..."

"Fortunately, I came up with more suggestions to throw into the pool. Like I've been saying before, our flag name has to give off a sense of elegance and quality of the highest standards for women such as ourselves." She glanced at Hatsuyuki. "Except for one, but anyway! That's the gist of it!"

"She just loves talking to herself like that."

"What was that, Hatsuyuki?"

"Nothing. Carry on."

When no one uttered a peep, Akatsuki exhaled and nodded. "Alrighty then. Hmm, how about _Majesty Pioneers_?"

As much as Inazuma didn't want to turn the suggestion down, the mere thought of the name's implications was enough to send shivers down her spine. "I think that's a bit too... far-reaching?

"You think? How about _Prominence Armada_? It was inspired from the science fiction booklet I read the other day."

"Um, that is quite a title for a fleet like ours," Jintsuu said.

Hatsuyuki snorted. "Yeah... so conceited."

"Sh-Shut it!" Akatsuki sniffed, tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes. "This is just like the other time—we won't get anywhere like this!"

"You're the only one in a hurry here."

As the commander said that, everyone burst out laughing. Akatsuki turned deep red as she pulled down her cap to hide her face.

"H-Here, try out the flan," Fumizuki said, offering her flan serving. "It's delish!"

"I-I'll remember this... !"

Their dinner continued, and time passed rather quickly. Inazuma had always found that notion unfair; she rarely got to experience gatherings like this and she wanted it to last twice or thrice as long. But even the biggest parties had to end at some point.

When everyone was already stuffed to the brim, the commander took this opportunity to excuse himself for a moment. Inazuma had a strange inkling to ask him about it, but he refused to tell her anything. Unsurprisingly, everybody else got curious and pressed him on that matter.

Eventually, he handed the data terminal over to Inazuma. A quick look at the data terminal's notification told her that a fleet girl was just constructed a few minutes ago, and the commander had to drop by the factory as soon as possible. She passed the news to the others, and everyone went wide-eyed as cheer and excitement filled the room.

Of course, she was excited to meet the new fleet girl too, but the creeping disappointment within her only swelled further.

Inazuma had no clue about the recent construction, and she wished that he had told her about it over the radio at least. She wouldn't object though. The commander had expressed several times, even as early as the past week, that he would need to try constructing a fleet girl one of these days. She just didn't expect today had to be that day.

And so, everyone tagged along with the commander as they made their way to the factory.

Situated behind the headquarters' main building, the armory compound accommodated different departments and facilities for fleet girl-related innovations. With the factory as its core structure, officers and fleet girls alike were often seen in the premises, looking to gamble their hard-earned earnings for new equipment and items.

They stood in the reception area and waited for a custodian who would escort them to the conception hall. Minutes later, a fairy wearing a trench coat appeared before them. "Hey, it's almost time."

"Wow, what a cute fairy!" Fumizuki crouched down. "Let me pat you!"

The fairy hopped away and scowled at her. "No touching, or I'll break you."

The ponytailed girl only giggled, crawling towards the fairy. "Please?"

Looking up, the fairy took out her hand from a pocket and pointed at the commander. "Tell her off or I'll break you too."

"Fumizuki," he said, "you heard the fairy."

She made a pouting face. "Okay. I'll stop."

The fairy turned around and began walking towards a nearby glass door. "Follow me."

As she snapped her fingers, the door slid open and they entered through a wide corridor. Reaching halfway down the hall, they stopped in front of the heavy-duty double doors and the fairy motioned them to enter inside. As they did, Inazuma's gaze went towards the large cylindrical chamber sitting on the other end of the room. Inside it was a scale model of a warship, which took up roughly half of the chamber's diameter.

Looking at the model's dimensions, batteries, and superstructure, she was almost convinced that it was a battleship of some kind. Painstaking effort had been poured into the ship with all the tiny details she could pick out from it. She also noticed that it adopted the color scheme of UNF vessels: blue, white, and silver.

Inazuma spun in place as she searched the room with her eyes. And when she turned to her friends, they reflected the same confused expression she had on her face.

The new fleet girl was nowhere to be found.

Did she read the report wrong? As if a response to her question, two more fairies approached them from a waist-level platform.

"They're cute," Fumizuki said. "Can we keep one?"

"But they're not pets. Besides, don't you have plenty of fairies to go around with?"

Shaking her head, she summoned her armaments in a flash and took her hand cannon with both hands. She knocked on it once and a fairy peeked out of its hatch. "Did you call?" the fairy asked.

She smiled. "Play with me!" The fairy only frowned back and quickly closed the hatch. The destroyer recalled her equipment as her eyes began to water. "See what I mean?"

The commander sighed. "Maybe Ram and the others will play with you if you ask nicely."

"Really? I'll try that!"

"Charm, was it?" He turned towards the fairies and crouched a bit. "What do I need to do with this experiment of yours?"

"Nothing much," the fairy wearing a lab coat replied. "I only need your input during the construction's final phase and cleanup."

"Hm? I haven't caught news of this," Akatsuki said. "Some kind of closed-door procedure?"

"Naturally! Well, we've been doing this for months now. Not yet standard procedure, but we wanted every officer to give it a try."

The purple-haired girl folded her arms on her chest. "Sounds fishy."

"I know! That makes it more exciting! Gets your blood pumping, right?"

"That's not what I meant."

Charm raised her hands in front of her. "Okay, fine. If it'll help you sleep at night, nothing has changed. I made it perfectly clear that we're only adding another step in the process."

"You didn't, that's why I'm asking."

The fairy sighed. "I concede. Do you talk like that every time?"

"Yeah... she's annoying," Hatsuyuki said. "Better get used to it."

Akatsuki shot a glare at her. "What did you say? You're really asking for—"

When the commander looked over his shoulder, the destroyer froze and held her tongue.

"It was very tricky to put those little pieces together, but we finished it in time!" The fairy with a hard hat on her head flashed a peace sign. "Work's done and I'm bushed, so I'm gonna sleep now!"

"Fermi, you're not going anywhere." Charm grabbed her coworker behind her collar, dragging her towards a glass-enclosed workspace. "We have to finish the reports after this."

"Then hurry up! I can hear my bed calling my name!"

A couple of thuds echoed from the room's intricate sound system. Inazuma could see Charm wearing a wired headset, her voice amplified as she spoke through its mouthpiece. "If you fall asleep, I'll shove some papers in your mouth before tossing you in a human-sized trash bin!"

"Did you have to say that over the mic?"

"Or would you rather be thrown into the incinerator for that matter?"

"Just get over it already!"

"Whatever." Charm pulled down a few levers sticking out of the control panel. "Final construct phase is a go! Let's rev her up to life!"

Several components surrounding the chamber moved and locked into place, while the light display panel on the wall went red to blue. The miniature warship rose into the air and hovered steadily. Bluish flakes and orbs began to latch on the ship, forming a ball of compressed mag-ion energy.

As Inazuma gazed into the sphere, there was this certain feeling of warmth welling up from her chest. Each pulse of the sphere resonated with her heart's beating. It wasn't the first time she would be seeing the birth of a fleet girl, but it was a dreamlike experience that she could never get used to.

"Progress is a-okay! Admiral, can you step on the hydraulic platform?"

He did what was instructed and the platform raised him towards the chamber, close enough to reach the sphere with his hands.

"There. Now place your hand on the field construct."

Still clutching on the platform's steel rails, the commander hesitated. "Wait, is this even safe to—"

"What now? Worried about radiation exposure? Eh, you'll live through it!" Charm's snickering stopped. "Okay, like I said, put your hand on the field. Gently, because you don't want to puncture that thing or you'll burn yourself alive with intense EMR. You'll get so saturated that you'll end up spreading it yourself in the afterlife!"

Inazuma began to panic, but Akatsuki only shrugged beside her. "That fairy's probably working too many shifts lately."

Jintsuu placed a hand over her mouth. "Ah, so that's why her eyes look a bit empty."

"Hawawa! You guys aren't worried about him?!" the secretary said. "Um, is he going to be okay?"

As the commander touched the sphere with his palm, the sphere began to flicker. And moments later, a silhouette of a human materialized within the sphere. Slowly, the figure reached for the commander's hand. When their hands met, the sphere flashed a blinding light as strong gusts surged outwards. Inazuma thought that they had summoned a nasty typhoon, unleashing its unbridled fury to everyone in the room.

Seconds later, the stream of mag-ion stopped as quickly as it started. The bursts of wind subsided and the incessant crackling quieted down. Exhaust units from chamber activated when the display panel indicated a bright red. The commander, stripped of his hat, descended towards the floor and walked out of the platform. He looked beat and rattled, seeing that he took the bulk of the force at such distance.

A mad cackling broke out from the speakers. "It is done! Say hello to your new comrade!"

"She definitely needs a break," Shirayuki said. "Maybe I could make her some herbal tea later."

"I'm more amazed they allowed someone like her to work in an important post here," Akatsuki replied. "I don't know if this organization is just too lenient or forgiving for its own good."

Hatsuyuki scoffed. "More than half of the staff here... are fairies. And now you're having doubts?"

"Now if you would excuse me, I have a little something to take care of." Charm dragged a sleeping Fermi towards a tiny entrance on the wall. They disappeared as the door closed behind them with a clang.

Amidst the steam, the fleet girl hopped from the base of the chamber. She approached the commander and saluted. "Light cruiser Sendai. It's nice to meet you, Admiral Yuu."

"You know my name?"

"Yep, and everything you've done so far in your service is etched in my mind. I don't know how or why, but it's there!"

The commander raised an eyebrow. "Can you tell me more?"

"Let's see," she began, "you're quite disappointed that a light cruiser came out instead of a battleship. Well, don't sweat it though! I can understand with our current financial situation in mind, so I'll be sure to pull my own weight during operations. You don't seem to be the picky type anyway, so I'm also glad that you're fine with me. And you're also worried about our fleet's secretary being so stubborn. You really appreciate that she's willing to join in your all-nighters but—"

"A-Alright, you've said enough. I believe you."

"And oh, there's also—"

Jintsuu rushed towards the new fleet girl and hugged her tightly. "Sendai! To witness such miracle!"

Inazuma and the others followed and introduced themselves to Sendai who returned their gestures with a bright smile.

"Excellent," Akatsuki said, raising a clenched hand. "Now we have two cruisers and four destroyers! This opens up plenty of opportunities for us!"

"B-But I haven't decided yet," Shirayuki said, looking down.

"You will... sooner or later," Hatsuyuki placed a hand on her shoulder. "He who holds the pen shall guide you to the destined path."

"I don't know what to think about that."

Sendai paced around, her eyes exploring the room. "What time is it now?" she asked.

Akatsuki pulled up her sleeve to look at her wristwatch. "2052 hours. Why?"

"This fleet doesn't do plenty of operations at night, huh?" The light cruiser faced towards the commander. "Now that I'm here, we should try out some night ops sometimes! Isn't the Admiral a nocturnal person? I can take the night watch too if you want! Hey, what's wrong? Come on, speak up!"

"This girl knows too much." He grimaced. "I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be impressed with this."

Inazuma gave him a suspicious look. "Um, Commander, don't get any weird ideas now."

* * *

What had transpired the following day felt like a blur, at least to Inazuma. Another open meeting had taken place to address the fleet girls' disappearances. Various proposals, countermeasures included, had been presented and discussed. Commander Yurie seemed to have already recovered from yesterday too, relaying information about their encounter with the elusive creature. Mashing her input together with the Intelligence Section's previous findings, they had arrived at the following conjectures:

_The mysterious abductor was a new abyssal ship._

_It would only strike under the cover of the night and fog._

_It would immediately retreat when met with considerable resistance._

Type and classification were yet to be determined, but it had the everyday capabilities of most surface ships. Previous accounts suggested that it had several light to medium caliber guns and torpedo launchers in its arsenal. There were also reports where it would engage in close-quarters combat, utilizing a pair of bulging appendages on its back. And thanks to Uzuki's account, it was confirmed that the creature resembled a human girl—an appearance closer to a fleet girl rather than a higher-class abyssal ship. Still, the ever-present fog shrouding it prevented her to distinguish further details.

From there, the dots and pieces seemed to have connected themselves to form another angle regarding the attacks. Needless to say, the revelation alone earned an interesting variety of responses.

Using its seemingly harmless appearance, many of the victims were lured in from the prospect of acquiring an astray fleet girl. Once they lowered their guard or showed a brief moment of uncertainty, it would strike with extreme agility and precision. Consequently, the casualty rate for the attacks hovered in the high nineties. Some of the victims in attendance could attest to that.

An unpredictable enemy, that much was certain. However, it didn't show interest in sinking its victims despite its vicious behavior. A silver lining, yes, but its ability to neutralize and restrain a fleet girl as long as it could was still its most dangerous asset. It already claimed four of their girls and that number would only grow unless they stop the culprit for good.

But how could they possibly deal with an enemy that could just simply disappear without a trace?

For the time being, they had decided to expand their presence around the initial cluster chain, providing supportive role for reconnaissance and expedition units going in and out the area. The rather passive idea didn't sound very convincing at first, but it made sense.

Actively searching for a single target in such a wide area would be very inefficient. Instead, they would tweak their scout and patrol routes that would benefit their tracker teams in an event of another attack from their elusive predator. Of course, they wouldn't need to cover the chain in its entirety with the amount of fleet girls they currently had. After all, Caffelatte Sea was the third largest sea in the world, connecting to the Serenoir Ocean in the west. But even if they could deploy the numbers they needed, the sudden increase of activity would only attract the abyssal fleet from the south, resulting into more unwanted casualties.

While fleet officers operate independently from each other, they should also watch each other's backs to deal with the situation. Coordination with the other fleets would go a long way in keeping everyone safe and Inazuma couldn't agree more. In spite of these points, a few of the Navy officers present in the discussion found the ongoing rescue efforts a waste of time. They even went so far as to blame the victims for their own incompetence. Commander Yurie's temporary flagship, Maya, was quick to express her... disappointment to the tactless officers, nearly causing an uproar in the conference hall.

Inazuma couldn't blame her though. And seeing the commander's smile while it all happened made her think that he appreciated Maya's lecture more than anyone else.

They were free for the rest of the afternoon, but everyone didn't seem to be in the mood to do anything that time. However, paperwork had to be done. Shuffling through the forms they had to fill up, she had come across the Fleet Evaluation Log conveniently snapped inside a blue folder. Again, her thoughts seemed to fall back towards the commander. Answering these weekly forms to assess his performance was already a routine for her. It was an almost mindless task, but knowing that only increased her urge to get to know him more. There was definitely more to learn about him outside his personal profile and records.

After a quick rest, everyone had gathered in the mess hall for dinner. As always, the place was packed and noisy, but the overhanging mood across the hall was surely livelier unlike the past few days. The little episode from the meeting earlier seemed to have sparked a light in everyone's hearts; their faces displayed an odd sense of purpose and resolution. Inazuma resolved to give her all as well.

Then came the next day—another day off, but it was also the day she would put her plans into motion.

Dressed in her casual attire, Inazuma strode towards the executive wing to fetch her target.

She wouldn't be able to talk to him properly if he was occupied with something else. Thus, cornering the commander should be her first priority. It seemed luck was on her side this time when she saw the commander next to the coffee shop, taking his breakfast. His eyes were focused at an overhead monitor that aired the latest news from different parts of the world.

At first, she talked to him like usual. But somewhere along the way, he got annoyed with all of her questions and began to ignore her.

He was surely stubborn as ever. All their bickering caused them to play a game, which dragged on for an hour:

"No, really. I'm not telling you how you should spend your breaks." His eyes reflected a poignant gleam as he stared at his grid map. "**E8**."

Inazuma looked down at her map, crossing out said square with a sigh. "Commander, it's my day off. I can do whatever I want."

It was a losing battle; she had next to no breathing room as two of her remaining ships were just sitting next each other. She had yet to hit the enemy fleet's frigate, submarine, and cruiser—a miserable picture that frustrated her since the last few turns. Reflecting on their previous games, this match would be over soon. She could still turn the tables around, but she couldn't afford to waste a turn.

"I know, but why are you dragging me into your plans? And what about the others?"

"They left for the town. I heard a few shops in the shopping district opened just recently." Muttering a silent prayer, she closed her eyes. "**A3!**"

"Even Hatsuyuki?"

She opened her eyes again as she looked up. "Yeah, Fumizuki and Shirayuki dragged her with them. I haven't seen Sendai though. She seemed restless last night, so Jintsuu went out to look for her."

"Only a matter of time, huh?"

She gasped. She scored a hit! "And if you're going to tell me that, then why are you always spending your day offs sulking in the office?"

The commander's eyes narrowed. "Relaxing in my room counts as sulking? And you're the one to talk." He drank the remaining contents of his milk drink. "I'm going for **I5** this time."

"What about me?" Inazuma paused. "Wait. What now?"

He repeated his last call and she stared at her grid in horror. Her motivation had begun its quick descent towards the cold sea floor. "Th-That was a hit. Um, **C1**!"

He smiled. "You got one, but I guess this is it for your frigate—**J5**."

Inazuma slumped in her seat. "This round is yours," she said.

"I haven't found your submarine."

"That _was_ my submarine."

The commander could only blink his eyes in response. He stretched his arms up and reclined in his chair. "So, are we done here? I want to return to my room now."

"Eh? N-No, wait—"

"It's fun and cute watching you two and all, but you need to decide soon. Time's running!"

Both of them looked towards the info station and a pink-haired fleet girl smiled at them. "Inazuma wants to take the commander outside but he doesn't want to leave." She slammed her palm against the counter. "Settle it in the next game—let's go for a sudden death round!"

Catching on the idea, Inazuma clenched her raised hand. "If I win, we'll go outside!"

"Fine," the commander said, "otherwise you are forbidden from entering my office until tomorrow morning."

"Why? That doesn't make sense!"

"You don't want that? Giving up is fine too. In fact, I would prefer it instead of going through this again."

Inazuma wasn't exactly confident about this arrangement, but she had to do it. "A-Alright, I'll definitely win this! Thanks, Makigumo!"

As they got their graph papers marked and ready, the pink-haired destroyer explained the rules for their sudden death round: whoever destroys the enemy fleet's submarine first wins the match. Since submarines only took up a single square, their deciding round boiled down to sheer luck. Well, this was a gamble that she was willing to take and she would see through it until the very end.

Still, her chances here didn't look very good compared to the commander's calculated guesses that sunk many of her ships.

Or so she thought. It didn't even take them three turns to determine the victor.

Inazuma slowly looked up from her paper. "Wait... I won?"

The look of disbelief on the commander's face was a rare sight. Amusing even. One of his eyelids started to twitch as he looked at her. "Alright. We'll go outside."

"What's with you all of a sudden, Commander?"

Inazuma could only swallow down the dread and displeasure channeled towards her. She called for this situation, but at the same time, she was having second thoughts whether she did the right thing or not. She followed him to his office, watching him open the suitcase sitting in one corner of the room. He pulled out several clothes out, but he suddenly stopped and turned around. "It's late for me to ask, but why did you follow me here?"

It took all her effort to keep a straight face as she looked down at him. "U-Um, just making sure."

"Wait downstairs before I change my mind."

* * *

The scent of the sea breeze and the warm sunlight greeted her as she took a step outside. It only occurred to her just now, but she and the commander never went out on a trip before. There had been a couple of occasions where they needed to visit installations and towns from nearby islands, but those hardly count.

Beyond the garden fountain, she immediately recognized the pair, but she held back the urge to call them. A young woman in an UNF uniform moved towards them, her ponytail dangled as she walked in a hurried pace. Firm and imposing, she saluted in front of the pair. "Heavy Cruiser Nachi, reporting—"

"At ease," he said, ruffling his brown hair. "And will you stop doing that? We're not the Navy."

"But Admiral, I—"

"Yeah, I'm not an admiral too. Even though the other girls keep calling me that, you can just refer to me by name."

"Well," the other fleet girl said, "I wouldn't expect someone like you to reach a prestigious rank like that anyway. It's just impossible."

"Can you get any blunter than that? Come on."

As she turned around, the fleet girl's light blue hair flowed over her face and shoulder. She waved her hands at Inazuma. "Oh, going out too?"

Inazuma walked towards her and bowed. "Ah, yes. Murakumo and Commander Einrost have business to attend to?"

"Business? Yes, that's right." The officer leaned closer to her. "See, I was thinking this is my chance. You know, a date—"

"I can hear you," the silver-haired destroyer said, raising an eyebrow. "I'll cut off your tongue if you keep spouting nonsense with it."

"What about you, Inazuma?"

Inazuma blinked. "Um, I'm going out with the commander."

"Going... out?" His face darkened. "So he was only biding his time until this day, huh? Never knew he had it in him."

"Wh-What's wrong?"

Murakumo placed a hand over her face. "Don't think of it too much, Inazuma."

"And what do we have here?" He looked at the commander exiting the lobby. "Taking our sweet and innocent Inazuma out on a date. Huh, finally taking the assertive role between you two, eh?"

The two officers only stared down at each other. The commander's eyes reflected a silent fury that could manifest in the physical plane at any moment.

It scared her. No doubt, what she had experienced earlier was only a fraction of what she was seeing now, and she certainly didn't want to be the receiving end of his unspeakable wrath.

Einrost burst out laughing instead. "Man, never change. Never change! Where are you going though?"

He walked towards the group, only stopping next to Inazuma. "No idea. Inazuma's more pushy than usual today and it's kinda annoying to be honest."

"Why are you blaming me? You lost fair and square."

"Lost?" Murakumo repeated. "It must've been a bet then?"

Einrost smiled once more. "A half-assed excuse like that won't take you anywhere. You could've refused, but you still agreed to tag along," he said, glancing at Inazuma. "Fishy? Nope, not really."

"We should get going, Inazuma," the commander said as he adjusted the beret donning his head. He started walking again. "This is just a waste of time."

Inazuma brought out a map from her sling bag as she followed him. "R-Right. Sorry, we'll be going on ahead!"

"Hey, hold on." Einrost placed a hand on the commander's shoulder. "We're inspecting several places today, so you should take a hitch with us. No problem with that, right Nachi?"

Nachi nodded and motioned to a jeep ahead of them. "It would be my pleasure."

"What do you say, Yuu?"

He breathed in deeply, glancing at a wide-eyed Inazuma. "I can't say no to this, can I?"

"Heh. That was quick." Einrost ran towards the jeep. He entered the vehicle, settling next to the driver's seat.

When the rest of them went inside and took their seats, Inazuma found herself between the commander and Murakumo. The air conditioning was pleasant and the seats were supple and comfy.

"Please make yourselves comfortable." The vehicle's engine hummed after Nachi swiped a keycard on the dashboard. "Where do you need to go first, Admi—No, Mister Einrost?"

"Well, we're planning to check some of the recent constructions in the commercial district." He looked at them. "How about you lovebirds?"

The commander then looked at Inazuma. "Where do you want to go?"

"Eh? Um, I haven't decided yet." She looked down at her map. "I've heard a lot of wonderful places to visit, so—"

"Hmph, that's all?" Einrost said. "I recommend taking a walk around Solstice Hills then. Beautiful fields, nice townsfolk, breathtaking lookouts. If it's your first date, it has to be there."

Using her forefinger, Inazuma traced the primary road that would lead them to the hills. Nearly three miles inland from headquarters, but she didn't mind working up a sweat even if she had to walk all the way there. "Thank you, Commander Einrost."

He looked at the commander and cocked his head to the side. "These girls never learn, huh?"

"Very unlike you to not recommend your ventures in the port district," Murakumo said. "Speaking of which, have you considered expanding in that area? I'm sure it will flourish with the local residents living close there."

"Those parts are already as perfect as they are. Urbanization is quite a wildfire though, so we'll have to watch the other guys for any developments."

"You're not in the wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised if you suddenly changed your mind the next day."

"We'll see. But for now, let's drop off these lovebirds first before we head to the district."

Far from Inazuma had expected, Nachi veered the vehicle off the main road as they entered a path through the woodlands. It was quite a bouncy ride, but they reached the western end of the hills in no time. Inazuma and the commander gave their thanks to the others as they left the jeep.

* * *

And they began their adventure following the dirt road that crossed through a wide meadow. Everywhere she looked, there were flowers and plants swaying in the breeze. The ocean's pristine beauty was one thing, but she had no idea that such a spectacular place existed close to home.

Wait, not at all. She did hear stories about the countryside from the other girls. Seeing everything in person left her at a loss for words.

They strolled through the fields, asking the commander every other thing that caught her attention. She was glad there were lots of fascinating sights and objects in the area to keep them occupied. Her needless queries helped to swat away the awkward mood in the air between them, and the commander didn't mind responding at the very least. But she did have to wonder if he was enjoying their walk as much as her.

To Inazuma, it felt like they were venturing into a realm of the unknown. With all of the countryside's offerings waiting to be discovered, she had a hard time focusing on a single detail. She noticed a bunch of sunflowers lining up the roadside, only to get distracted by a strange-looking bird perched on a post. And at the next moment, she would be inspecting a patch of pineapples stretching towards a stream on other side of the field.

At this rate, she would get herself in a daze as her eyes wandered around like a disoriented honey bee.

After a while, she couldn't help but notice the commander stealing glances at her. As she began to list out possible reasons why, she was immediately reminded of her mission. And to think that she almost lost sight of it!

If she didn't speak up now, she would have to endure more days of self-loathing until she gets another shot at it. She wouldn't want that.

This struggle went on until they reached the hillside flanked by fruit-bearing trees and other plants. The smaller path leading to the lush parts of the forest branched off to the left, marked with a wooden post. Curious, Inazuma read the engraved lettering on the worn-out post and learned that the path would lead them to a shrine of some kind.

The pathway looked scary even in broad daylight. An inexplicable dread emanated from its depths as if someone from the other side was staring back at her, deterring anyone who would dare to set their foot in the place. Knowing this, it would be better for them to stay on their current course for now.

After what seemed like years of idle dawdling, she mustered up the courage to speak up. "Commander, um, you can tell me what's bothering you."

She had lost count on the number of times she said something similar towards him. She should have learned by now, but giving up was not an option either.

"Tell you what now?"

"W-Well, you look kinda sad, so I figured that you're probably upset about something."

Close, but not quite. There was something else for sure, and Inazuma couldn't place a finger on it.

"It's nothing," he replied.

She needed to press on. "Please, Commander. Maybe I can help you somehow."

"It has nothing to do with work."

"What do I have to do for you to tell me?"

"You're being oddly persistent today. What's gotten into you this time?"

"N-Nothing! I want to know if—um, I mean, I just want to help!"

He studied her face for a moment. "If you want to know that badly, then I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you." His expression lightened. "When I get to be idle like this, my mind tends to wander off on its own."

Inazuma nodded, smiling. "It happens to me a lot too."

He narrowed his eyes in response. "I was contemplating on a few things. Well, particularly about you fleet girls."

"What about us?"

"Can I ask you something? I just want your thoughts about this."

Inazuma gulped. "W-Well, as long as I can answer it."

"Let's see... are you happy of who you are right now?"

She heard it loud and clear, but her mind refused to spit out an answer—or if there was any at all. It was as if her thoughts initiated a lockdown on its own. "What do you mean, Commander?"

"Let me spin it for you: did you ever regret being born as a fleet girl?"

"N-No! Not at all!"

"Really?"

"As a fleet girl, even someone like me can help a lot of people. And as long as I can operate this body, I'll do everything I can to stop the conflict in our world's oceans."

"But have you considered what it feels like living a life as a normal girl? Did the thought ever cross your mind before?"

"As a normal girl? That, um—"

"Are you completely fine with the things as they are now? A lot of good people made it possible for you to enjoy a life beyond mere tools of war—a future where only you can decide on and cherish."

Inazuma slowly shook her head. "I don't really mind. I'm a fleet girl, so I'll do what's expected of me."

"I see."

But something about his words didn't add up, and it left her brain churning for clarification. Even if the answer was already obvious, it was certainly strange that he wanted her to think and reconsider. He didn't look satisfied with the answers he got and Inazuma knew it was a foregone conclusion.

What did those questions have anything to do with her duties as a fleet girl? And what kind of answers he was looking for to begin with? More questions kept popping up that she needed to lightly slap her cheeks to snap her out of the loop.

The commander noticed her wavering form. "You okay?"

She shied away from him. "Commander, can I ask you something too?"

"Why are you asking permission?"

"You're the commander."

"We're off duty. And honestly, it bothers me that you have to be so formal to someone like me."

"Um, I don't know. It just... doesn't feel right."

He shrugged. "Alright, let me hear your question."

"Well... it's more of a favor really. Can you tell me a bit more about yourself?"

"About what, specifically?"

"Maybe about the things you did before joining the Peacekeepers?"

"Why do you want to know? Is that the reason why you brought me out here?"

Fast, concise, and direct. He saw through her plans then and there.

And just like that, she felt that she got robbed of the ability to speak. He didn't seem angry about it, but she was hoping that the ground beneath her would swallow her whole to save her from such embarrassment. To her surprise, it didn't end there. "No, I was being unfair. It's just that my past isn't exactly an interesting topic to talk about."

"Th-That's not true at all! I'm sure you have a lot of interesting stories to tell!"

"Do I look like someone who went out on a grand adventure across the world or something?" He paused, contemplating. "But if you insist on knowing, I'll need some time to think about it."

"You're not pulling my leg, right?"

He nodded. "You'll know sooner or later anyway."

"Huh? You're being vague again."

"Just give me time. I'm not going anywhere."

Fair enough, but she was clutching at straws at this point. Maybe she could ask something else instead? She needed a quick breather too as she had already used up all her courage and energy talking to him like this. "By the way, why didn't you want to leave your room earlier?"

"I wanted to finish my backlog. We've been busy in the past weeks, so I never got to start any of them."

"Backlog? Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped you with that! Are you hiding things behind my back again?"

"But they're all single-player games. If I come across a co-op game next time, maybe you can join me."

Inazuma was stunned. "Video games?"

"What? Do you have a problem with that?"

"The commander loves video games too, huh?"

"Your tone sounds a bit off. Seems like you have something else in mind."

"N-Nothing! You read a lot of books during our downtime in the office, so I thought you're a book lover more than anything else."

As their conversation went to a halt, they happened upon a fenced garden on their left. Inazuma entered through the wide gap and noticed several rows of vegetables on elevated beds, separated with hollow paths between them. Each bed had a tiny sign to indicate the plants in it. She recognized a few of the veggies, but she was more surprised to see them in their unharvested state.

When she happened to look up, she noticed a bunch of oval fruits hanging on a tree. Most of them are green, but she also saw yellowish-green ones bunched together. "Commander, those are fruits, right? What are they called?"

"Those are mangoes," he replied. "They're green right now, but they'll turn yellow when ripe."

"Ah! They're like bananas too? I don't think I've eaten one before."

"Impossible. I'm sure you've already eaten something close without realizing it—maybe some mango-flavored ice cream or juice or random dessert."

"I had grape and watermelon juice before, but not a mango-flavored one." Inazuma looked dejected. "Is it very weird that I haven't tasted one before?"

"Are... are you being serious right now?"

It was a big deal, apparently. Even the commander looked concerned!

Sighing, he scanned the area while rubbing his chin. "Since we're already here, maybe we can take some with us."

"I don't think we can get one from here though."

"Maybe you can try shooting them down with your guns."

"Th-That's too much! You're gonna get us in trouble!"

"And you actually considered it?" He sighed. "We'll have more luck if we just look for the owner of this garden. They shouldn't be far around this area."

Inazuma was about to inspect the tree closer when she heard a rhythmic clatter not far behind them.

A brown horse trudged on the road as its rider gazed at the treetops that filtered the warm sunlight. Her pale blue hair fluttered in the wind as she took in nature's calm beauty, her eyes gleaming with awe and admiration. As they moved in a leisurely pace, the woman noticed the pair and smiled.

The woman looked past them and hesitated for a moment. But with a gentle motion of her legs, the horse trotted to a quicker pace until they disappeared from sight.

"I wonder if she's from around here," the destroyer said, looking at the commander. "Ah, maybe she's a tourist."

He kept his gaze where the woman had left. "Did you see the insignia below the horse's saddle? She's a nature reserve ranger."

"Ah, they're commissioned to protect the environment, right?"

"Yeah, I heard that they're a tough bunch too since they constantly deal with illegal operations inside protected territories and sanctuaries."

There was something else bothering him, judging from the look on his face. "What's the matter, Commander?"

"It feels like I've seen her before. Back in the mainland."

Another woman appeared, walking out from the other side of the garden. "You two," she said, pointing a rusty pick towards them, "entered a restricted area. Explain yourselves."

Her commanding voice, coupled with her well-built form, made the destroyer shudder. "R-Restricted area? Commander, what should we do?"

Adjusting the straw hat on her head, the tanned woman approached them with a firm look on her face. "You. I believe this was tackled during the local protocol orientation. How irresponsible of you to overlook a simple, clear-cut directive."

He narrowed his eyes. "I was never told about it."

Her attention went to Inazuma. "Then you must be his secretary. Just to make it clear, I won't take that kind of excuse from you. It's your responsibility to relay such rules to your commanding officer."

"I'm very sorry! It's my fault and I'll take full responsibility for our intrusion!"

"On your knees then!" Her eyes flared up under her glasses. "Such offense, how small it is, cannot be overlooked."

Holding back a sob, she slowly lowered herself in a crouch. She could feel enormous strength hidden within the woman's impressive build. Opposing someone like her would be a terrible mistake.

Before her knees could touch the ground, the woman took her by the wrist. Her grip was strong like a mechanical clamp. If she wanted to, she could probably snap Inazuma's hand with little effort. Tears began to invade the destroyer's eyes—this sudden development was too much for her to handle.

She waited there whimpering until she heard her say something unbelievable: "You can stand up now. I was kidding."

"Wh-What?" She looked over to the commander, but he only smirked as he avoided eye contact. Gritting her teeth, she rose and stomped towards him. "Th-This is your fault, isn't it?"

"Don't look at me like that. I have to get back at you in some way."

"I knew it! Y-You're just a sore loser!"

"Our thoughts coincided at the right moment. But to my defense, the two of you are clearly trespassing in my property." The woman lowered her head. "Though I should apologize for surprising you."

Inazuma sniffed as she tried to gather the remains of her shattered dignity. "Bullies. The two of you."

"Did I scare her too much?"

"She'll be at this for a while," he said, facing the woman. "You must be a fleet girl—a battleship if I guessed it right?"

The woman blinked twice before smiling. "You are correct. I am Musashi, once a proud member of the Maritime Peacekeeper's 2nd Forward Strike Fleet," she replied. "If my appearance is not good enough of an indication, I spend most of my days here in the countryside—not a shabby place for a retiree like me."

Inazuma suddenly shot up and saluted. "It's an honor meeting one of the Peacekeeper's legends!"

"Likewise. I can see that you're a diligent girl. You'll come a long way in your career." She looked at the commander. "How about you?"

"I'm handling a pathfinding unit," he replied. "Mostly survey assignments for the network, but it's starting to grow on me."

"Keep it up. Reconnaissance and intelligence work are vital to the success of every operation," she said, nodding. "I won't keep you any longer if you have business elsewhere, but I hope you are willing to humor my curiosity first. What brings you here?"

"Sightseeing!" Inazuma replied.

Musashi paused, setting down a basket strapped on her back. "All the way in these parts?"

"Yes. We had someone to drop us off here."

"My secretary told me she hasn't eaten mangoes before," the commander said, "and I was wondering if you could spare us a few."

"C-Commander! What are you saying?!"

"I see, that is certainly troubling." Musashi took off the lid of the basket. "But your timing is impeccable as I was just about to harvest some. Can I ask your assistance with it?"

"That's fine," he replied. "Do you have any tools we can use here?"

"Those won't be necessary. You should stay clear for a moment."

Musashi looked up as she approached the trunk of the tree and place a hand over its surface. She mumbled something for a moment before knocking on the trunk with the back of her fist. The entirety of the tree shook as she did it, and a drizzle of leaves and mangoes burst from the branches.

A stunning display of a battleship's strength.

They gathered the mangoes that littered the ground, placing them inside the basket. As a result, Inazuma acquired firsthand knowledge about the fruit:

The green ones were very firm when held, but those with shades of yellow yielded slightly to her touch and gave off a faint sweet scent. The reason why the battleship had decided to harvest the green mangoes eluded her though.

With a satisfied look on her face, Musashi picked up a mango and examined it thoroughly with her hand. "Are you going to eat them while they're still unripe?" Inazuma asked.

"I must say you have no idea what you're missing out." The battleship lifted her basket and turned around. "Please, follow me. The two of you shall be our guests this afternoon."

"We appreciate the offer, but we should get going," the commander said, exchanging looks with Inazuma

The destroyer nodded repeatedly. "Y-Yes. We don't want to cause more trouble than we already have!"

"After hearing your circumstances," the battleship replied, "I cannot simply overlook them without a clear conscience. And for Inazuma's sake, I won't take no for an answer."

"But—"

"That is final."

"O-Okay..."

They walked further down the pathway until they saw a two-story house on a small clearing. Passing through the picket fence, they went around the house to reach the yard. Musashi motioned at them to enter a small hut next to the porch. She requested the pair to stay there while she stored away her baskets of freshly harvested fruits and veggies elsewhere.

The hut's interior reminded Inazuma of a fast food booth with the large table occupying most of the floor space. Seats in the form of long wooden benches ran along the sides of the hut. Ornaments, such as colored lanterns and plants, were displayed in the corners and windowsills. Lounging there after their hike felt refreshing with the cold air gently blowing against her nape. She thought of it as another authentic experience.

While they waited, a plump, feathery animal walked out of the bushes. It flapped its wings a few times before scraping the ground with its feet. Inazuma quickly recognize it. "Ah, a chicken! So cute!"

"You look happy."

"It's my first time seeing one. I only see them in encyclopedias and picture books. And, um, television."

"I see. That explains a lot."

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking towards him.

He shook his head. "Don't mind me."

"You're not making fun of me again, are you?" She returned her attention to the fluffy fowl, but then the commander stood up and walked out of the hut. He clapped twice and the chicken raised its head in attention. The destroyer held her breath when the chicken made its way to his side.

"H-How did you do that?"

"I'm guessing they're keeping this one as a pet." He lifted the chicken from its underside and went back to his seat. "You can teach them different tricks too if you have the patience for it."

She watched as he turned the chicken towards her. "Hawawa! W-What are you doing?"

"You shoot down enemies many times your size on a daily basis but afraid of a small chicken like this?" He extended his arms. "You try holding her."

"A-Are you sure? Won't it peck or scratch me?"

"She won't. Probably."

"Th-That's not convincing!"

"She'll end up laying an egg here if you keep stalling, you know? Just hold her under her body like this."

Hesitantly, she took the hen from him. The chicken clucked and struggled at first, but it relaxed in her hands after some time. It was a strangely calming, warm sensation—she had never held an animal like this before. She soon realized that the commander was staring at her. "By the way, you don't want her to squeeze too tight," he said. "She'll instantly pop out an egg if you did."

"Really?" Inazuma frowned. "Wait—I'm not going to fall for that one!"

Without warning, the chicken flapped its wings rapidly, escaping towards the commander's side. He picked it up and released it through the window. Disappointed, she looked through the window behind her to see if there were more chickens in the yard. She didn't find any, but she noticed a purple-haired girl in a yukata walking towards the hut.

Carrying a wooden tray, the girl's face brightened up as she noticed the secretary fleet girl. "Hi, Inazuma. I'm glad to see you!"

She returned the smile as she stood up. "Ah, Akatsuki. Good afternoon."

Akatsuki quickened her pace as she entered the hut. "You don't look surprised. Is it because you're so used to seeing me often in your workplace?"

"There's an Akatsuki in our fleet too."

"That explains it." She turned to the commander and bowed. "You must be her Fleet Commander. Thank you for taking care of Inazuma."

He returned the gesture with a nod, but he had a cautious look on his face for some reason. With the introductions out of the way, Akatsuki set two wide bowls in front of them, along with their glasses, utensils, and a pitcher of icy water. Passing a hand over the table, she removed the lids covering the bowls. "For today's lunch, I made my own version of the classic Auspice Special Udon. Most of the ingredients are homegrown, so their freshness is guaranteed."

"It smells nice," Inazuma said. "I'm sure it tastes just as good too."

"Please take your time and enjoy your meal. I made it after all." With a smile, she bowed again. "Please excuse me."

Akatsuki hopped out of the step and made her way back to the porch. "Our Akatsuki could learn a thing or two from her," the commander said. "It would be nice if she can cook something for us too."

Inazuma let out a giggle. "Please don't let her catch you saying that."

"But there's something different about her though."

"What do you mean?"

To their surprise, Akatsuki peered from the window behind Inazuma. "I forgot. If you need to wash your hands," she pointed at a path further into the woods, "there's a water pump you can use there—and um, did I miss anything?"

"N-Nothing!" Inazuma exchanged blank looks with the commander.

Her eyebrows twitched a little, but she managed a smile. "If you say so. Excuse me."

When Akatsuki left, the two of them exited the hut and followed the stone walkway connecting to a small pond. Smooth, round rocks lined up the pond's edges while lily pads covered a good portion of its surface. Colorful fishes peeked out of the gaps, as if it was their way of greeting visitors. Potted plants lined up the opposite side of the area where they found the pump under a shed.

"So, is this the pump?" Inazuma inspected the metal pump. "How do you turn it on?"

"Ah, you don't." The commander grabbed its handle, pushing it downwards. As he did, water rushed out of the spout. "It's operated by hand."

"That's great! You don't have to worry about outages with this, right?"

"For a former Navy girl, you sure had a cozy life during your stay there."

"Well, the backwater boot camp where I did my preliminaries had adequate facilities, but the auxiliary branch I got stationed in after that was one of the more advanced command centers in the mainland, so I guess you're right."

The commander fell silent and creased his nose. "And a few months after that, you signed up for the Peacekeeper's management course. Why the sudden one-eighty?"

"It might be weird for a fleet girl to say this, but naval combat was never a strong point of mine." She forced a smile. "And the Navy was cleaning up their ranks that time, so the timing was perfect. I saw it as a chance to make myself more useful working on the administrative level."

He had a glum expression on his face. He looked like he had something else to say. "I didn't mean to bring that up."

"It's okay," she replied. "But you're probably wondering if I ever regretted leaving the Navy. Or maybe if I'm satisfied with the decisions I've made so far. Am I right?"

"Hm? How—"

She smiled again. But this time, it was a sincere smile. "I think... I'm starting to understand you."

She managed to drive off the uneasiness between them, but it was easily replaced with another kind of awkwardness. A much more embarrassing one, in fact. It just kinda slipped out of her tongue, that's all!

He started on the pump, filling the bucket to the brim. They washed their hands in it afterwards. "About earlier," he began, "did you notice it too?"

Inazuma caught on, recalling their exchange earlier. "About Akatsuki?"

"She looks... younger compared to you and our Akatsuki. So, fleet girls can grow too?"

"Silly commander. Ships don't grow!"

"I'm lost. Care to explain?"

"How should I put it? Um, we don't grow like humans do. Physical changes in a fleet girl's body are just a secondary effect of modernization and remodeling processes." Inazuma brought out some tissues from her bag and handed some to the commander. "It only happens sometimes, and the differences aren't noticeable anyway."

"But you're almost a head taller than her. Huge disparity if you ask me."

She could feel her blood rushing towards her cheeks. "B-But I'm still small. Especially compared to you! A-And I'm wearing my thick sandals too!"

"Stop using me as a metric. It's kinda insulting since I'm not that—"

"Getting along nicely, I see." Musashi stood at the pathway, tightening the sash of her loose-fitting yukata. "I was wondering where you two went. Akatsuki already served your dishes, if I'm not mistaken."

"We did take our time, didn't we?" He tapped Inazuma's shoulder, startling her a bit. "Let's hurry back. We can continue where we left off later."

It was a good thing that they had covered their bowls before they left earlier. Their noodles were still fairly hot when they got back and Inazuma couldn't wait to dig in. Musashi sat next to the commander while she waited for Akatsuki. Not long after that, another girl arrived, carrying several plastic bags. Her shoulders heaved as if she had sprinted for quite a distance. With both of her hands occupied, sweat beads freely trickled down from her forehead.

"Did you run into trouble on the way back?" Musashi asked.

"I'm sorry, Miss Musashi. I needed to go all the way to the shopping district for the other items." Her expression soured. "And dealing with that clerk was really troublesome."

"I see. Akatsuki should be almost done with our lunch." Musashi gestured at Inazuma and the commander. "We shouldn't keep our guests waiting."

"Visitors? Good day, I'm Asashio. Pleased to meet you." She bowed, causing a few strands of her black hair to stick over her face. "Um, excuse me. I'll have to clean myself up for a bit."

"How many of you are staying in this place?" the commander asked.

"Aside from the destroyers you have already met," Musashi said, "there's also Ise and Hiyou, but they only return here during the holidays."

There was that other girl on horseback, now that she remembered. Was she from here too?

In the next minute, Akatsuki and Asashio returned with three more trays worth of food to serve on the table. Inazuma scooted over to the other end of the bench to accommodate them.

Akatsuki set a bowl and a steaming large pot in front of Musashi. "And here's your udon, Miss Musashi. I added plenty of smoked beef and tofu there," she said. "And yes, I made it a tad spicier for that extra kick."

"Thank you. Having to taste your cooking everyday is a privilege. Believe me when I tell you that you're shaping up to be a fine woman."

"O-Of course!" Akatsuki tensed up, looking away with a flushed face. "Jeez, you can be a real picky eater if the mood strikes you, huh?"

"That's a new reaction," the commander said. "Or rather, a very familiar one."

"H-Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

"What about yours, Akatsuki?" Inazuma asked. "And Asashio's too."

"Same as you two." The purple-haired girl settled beside her. "Asashio's having the same noodles as Miss Musashi, but a bit on the sweet side."

Asashio's cheeks reddened. "Y-You don't have to go into detail, Akatsuki!"

"Settle down, you two." Musashi took the pot's ladle and began filling her bowl. "Well then, dig in before the food gets cold."

With the dish before her tickling her senses, Inazuma lightly stirred her udon using her chopsticks. She was now having this dilemma whether she should start with the noodles, the broth, or its abundant selection of toppings. A full minute passed and she realized that she was only wasting her time. Scratch that, every component in the bowl was meant to complement the whole dish anyway. Why did she even bother?

While eating their lunch, Akatsuki didn't make a sound as she focused on the food in front of her. She was rather systematic down to the little details too, reminding Inazuma of their own Akatsuki. On the other hand, Asashio glanced towards Inazuma and the commander every now and then. She seemed tense ever since she arrived. Inazuma thought it was understandable as they were invited there without prior notice.

And surprising no one, Musashi worked on her noodle pot without delay. All the while, she shared her usual activities every morning, which includes gardening and livestock raising, to the commander. It was interesting to hear all those things from a fleet girl like her—the radical shift of her lifestyle was remarkable on its own.

By the time Inazuma had finished her bowl, Musashi's noodle pot was already down to the last third of its contents. She didn't know how or why, but watching someone with that kind of appetite motivated her to stuff down more food than usual in her stomach.

"Miss Musashi, are they here to ask for your guidance?" Asashio asked.

"You're mistaken. They're our guests, and nothing more."

"Guidance?" The commander looked up from his empty bowl to Musashi. "Are you an instructor of some kind?"

"Yes," the black-haired destroyer replied. "Miss Musashi is a well-respected veteran who fought countless battles in the past and—"

Musashi downed the remaining broth in her bowl. "Asashio, I believe I'm not that old."

"A-Ah, my apologies. What I meant to say was, she has extensive knowledge in the field of naval combat, that's why—"

"On the contrary, I could never compare to the legend you're referring to. I only did my duty as a fleet girl, nothing more."

"Well, if there's someone who knows her way around the front lines more than anyone else, it has to be Miss Musashi!"

Musashi glanced at Akatsuki who seemed to have understood her gesture right away. "Ah, yes. Should I serve some mangoes too?" Akatsuki asked. "I have a few mangoes chilled earlier."

The battleship then looked at Inazuma. "Slice up a few of the ones I brought in as well."

"A-Ah, I got this, Akatsuki!" Asashio, growing more and more uncomfortable in her seat, stood up and left the group. Inazuma and the commander glanced at each other.

"What was that about?" he asked.

"It had to be done," Musashi said. "As you already witnessed, she can get overly enthusiastic at times. The girl means well though, so I cannot fault her for that."

Akatsuki had finished her glass of water. "In simpler terms, she's a fan of Miss Musashi."

"I ask of you to not mention that with a straight face."

It didn't take Asashio long to return with two mango platters and a newly refilled pitcher on a tray. She placed the tray on the middle of the table, which was already cleaned up after everyone was done with their meals.

"I'm still struggling to believe that you haven't eaten a mango all your life." The battleship handed the platter full of bright yellow mangoes to Inazuma. "Have as many as you like. You do not have to hold back on our account."

"Err... Th-Thank you?"

Inazuma was nervous and excited, with most of the former caused by the curious, pitiful eyes watching her every move. They didn't even bother to be subtle about it. Feeling sorry for herself, it was as if she had been living a miserable life without realizing the fruit's full splendor.

She picked up a serving, holding it from the underside. Its fleshy cubes jutted out and wiggled as she lightly pushed the mango upwards with her fingertips. Carefully, she scooped up a cube with her spoon to taste.

"It's really good!"

She got so caught up in the cold, mellow goodness that she finished her serving without realizing it. Musashi pushed the plate with the green mangoes towards her. It also had smaller dishes for some kind of red paste, a brownish sauce, and salt. "Now try this."

"Eh? Is it, um, okay to eat?" The variety of condiments intrigued her too, but those had to wait for now. She picked up a small portion and let her taste buds decide for her. Its flavor and texture was way different—she found it hard to believe that she was eating the same fruit. "It's sour, but it has a bit of that sweet aftertaste. I like it!"

"See?" Musashi took a slice, dipped it in the paste, and popped it into her mouth. "It's unfortunate that Akatsuki isn't a fan of green mangoes."

Akatsuki grabbed a mango cheek and a spoon. "I can't simply like something just because you think I would." She looked at Inazuma. "How did you two end up here? Do you have any business here?"

"Um, sightseeing?"

"And you came here with him instead of the other me? What about your other friends?"

"They have other things they needed to do, so I invited the commander instead."

"No, you didn't," the commander said. "I was perfectly fine until you showed up. And I was looking forward to the live press cons too."

"Press cons? But you're just gonna play games all day anyway!"

"Uh, who's telling the truth?" Asashio asked.

Akatsuki pointed her spoon at him. "You better be grateful that she even considered inviting you in the first place! I advise that you shouldn't get so ahead of yourself just because you're surrounded by women every day!"

He knitted his eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

When Inazuma reached out for another mango serving, the wailing of sirens blared from the distance. She turned her towards the window as she held her breath. Maybe everything would quiet down if they waited for a few more seconds.

It didn't happen.

"That... that can't be it," Akatsuki said, dropping her spoon.

Musashi simply stood up. "I'm afraid this is not a drill. Akatsuki, monitor the comm channels inside. We'll need to get in touch with our network."

"Y-Yes!"

Everyone vacated the hut while Akatsuki hurried back to the house. Her heart racing, Inazuma looked down at her terminal. The realization pierced through her indiscriminately. "An attack? The island's being attacked?"

However, she was not the only one who didn't take this situation very well. What surprised her even more was the commander himself. He looked pale and his eyes glazed over. His frame trembled as sweat started to form on his forehead.

"C-Commander, are you okay?"

He didn't respond. She called him again, but her words didn't elicit any reaction. In that moment, Musashi reached out to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Snap out of it. Your secretary's waiting for your orders."

With a gentle squeeze from the battleship, he was brought out of his trance instantly. He shook his head, recovering just as quick. "Inazuma, contact the others and set up a meeting point for us to regroup at."

"You should hurry. Asashio, can you lend them your bicycle?"

"This way." Asashio ran past them, leading them to the other side of house. She brought out a blue bicycle out of the shed, handing it over to the commander. It had a basket at the front and a rectangular seat over its rear wheel.

Inazuma grabbed the sleeve of his jacket. "Commander, don't push yourself too hard. Are you sure you're really okay?"

He breathed in deeply as he turned his head to look at her. "I'll be fine. Hop on, we have to catch up with the others."

Or so he claimed. She had no choice but to hold onto his word and hope for the best.


	3. Our Motivation

**02—Our Motivation**

* * *

What first seemed to be a relaxing trip had turned for the worse.

She hated this. Not that everyone was wishing for such a disaster to happen, but it couldn't have picked a better day to spoil her plans.

With the cool wind brushing against her cheeks, she finally calmed down and assessed the situation in a clearer state of mind:

While it was true that the entirety of the Auspice Island was put on high alert, any kind of confrontation within the island's waters had yet to be reported the last time she checked the open channels. Although this news seemed too good to be true, she also found it quite unbelievable. Enemies slipping through their early warning systems and patrol units were unheard of, and it was even more baffling why either side hadn't fired a single shell to begin with.

Well, those questions would come eventually later on, but she had one other problem gnawing on her at the moment.

It was no question that the commander was rattled back there. She didn't want to bring it up again as his patience was already growing thin, but she couldn't help but worry all the same. Even though he was just within arm's reach, she was somewhat upset that she couldn't do a thing about it. Every passing second of silence reinforced her negative thoughts even more.

Not long after they left Musashi's place, she had receive a distress message from Murakumo to meet with them at the southern exit of the hills. Upon reaching said exit, they boarded Nachi's jeep and proceeded to the harbor. She could feel the haunting presence of dread and anxiety as the sirens pierced the air for the second time. Despite the looming abyssal threat, emergency procedures were followed in an orderly fashion, which wasn't surprising for a frontier island like Auspice. Civilians were evacuated away from the coastal and portside areas. Infantry carriers had gathered most of the fleet girls to be deployed in key defense points around the island.

The two commanders had already coordinated with the others via phone and private terminals: they picked up Hatsuyuki, Shirayuki, and Fumizuki on the first block of the economic district, then Kumano and Shoukaku on the opposite block. The rather spacious jeep was quickly filled in no time and they went on their way once again.

With Nachi's swift and controlled driving, they reached the southern coast's seafort border in record time. Several UNF ships and fleet girl units had already positioned themselves along the coastline. As they got close to the shore, they also saw black figures lining up the misty horizon. The abyssal ships only floated there, as if observing the events unfolding before them.

Deep down, Inazuma wished that everything was just a drill. She forced herself to confront the reality laid out before her. After all, hesitation of any kind attracted unneeded implications—something that she wouldn't rather have in this scenario.

"They're not attacking," the commander said.

"Which is good, for now." Einrost tapped on his tablet and whistled. "This fleet is huge—fourteen battleships, twenty carriers, and dozens of everything else. Our scouts also confirmed the presence of two submarine fleets flanking the surface ships. And there could be more nearby."

He grimaced. "And they weren't able to detect a battle group of that scale?"

"Hey, don't ask me. I'm just as confused as you are."

"It doesn't make any sense. What are they trying to pull here?"

Einrost looked up from his tablet. "What now?"

"If they intended to launch a coastal assault, they had all the time in the world to do so prior their appearance. They already had the element of surprise by getting close to the island undetected, but they didn't capitalize on it and instead waited for us to assemble ours."

"So... what you're saying is, they're here for something else? Lovely."

Murakumo began flexing her wrist. "Whatever they're here for, we'll be sure to sink every last of them back into the abyss. It's an insult that they managed to breach our territorial waters so easily."

"Apparently," Einrost said, "Chief Amagi is on his way with the Manticore and Orca. Neighboring installments are already notified, so we can expect reinforcements anytime." Einrost looked at the girls sitting on the back. "B Protocol has been issued. You know the drill."

Everyone's faces lit up with determination as they gazed towards their destination. For some reason, the gravity of the situation didn't seem to affect them. They talked and bickered, occasionally exchanging quips with each other. Inazuma thought it was probably better that way. Her attempts to settle down and stifle her pessimistic thoughts didn't work as she had been hoping for. The unconstrained sense of urgency was only making her even more restless.

As for the commander, she didn't hear him utter another word. Seeing him like that reminded her during the times where he would get so absorbed in a book he was reading. And, well, video games. He already had brought out his portable terminal from under his jacket, his eyes focused on the screen. She tried to take a peek, but she couldn't see a thing from her angle.

Stopping next to the road's barrier, they left the vehicle and surveyed the situation from their vantage point.

Preparations continued smoothly with the inaction of the enemy fleet, but they could never grew complacent with the enemy staring down on them in the distance. Inazuma had already summoned her equipment, also instantly replacing her casual clothes to her familiar sailor uniform. Her friends did the same before heading towards a gathering of fleet girls on the beach below. A few UMP officers and ACG personnel were present as well, scurrying left and right to get everything in proper order.

The flagship of the 3rd Forward Strike Fleet, Battleship Bismarck, had finished issuing her orders when they arrived. Everybody else scrambled to take their respective positions along the shore. She surveyed the area for the last time before her whole frame was consumed in a pale yellow light. In the next second, her armaments branched out around her as quickly as the light receded. Her destroyer escorts, Leberecht Maass and Max Schultz, followed her on the water afterwards.

Murakumo ran past Inazuma, catching up to them. "Hey, Bismarck!"

The blonde battleship turned around. "I was wondering where you would be," she replied. "I already put up a channel for the flagships, I'll be relaying orders and updates there."

The silver-haired destroyer was increasingly getting impatient. "Well, what's the plan?"

Bismarck's face contorted into a frown. "Well, you wouldn't believe it." She looked towards her escorts. "Get ready, you two. I have a bad feeling about this."

What was a better way to inform their plan than to demonstrate it themselves?

With her signal, the trio sailed towards the dark strip obscuring the horizon. One of the enemy ships slipped from the misty shroud to advance, meeting them halfway. The carriers had already drawn their bowstrings while the battleships trained their hulking batteries towards misty lining. Naturally, the enemy did the same, bearing all their guns to the opposite side. One false step and it could spark a very disastrous struggle so close to the island. Inazuma steeled herself, as anything could happen at this point.

Murakumo folded her arms on her chest. "Huh. I can't believe we're actually negotiating with them."

"You're always so eager Murakumo," Prinz Eugen said, frowning. "Big Sis is really rubbing that battle-hungry attitude on you."

"Pretty bold of you to say to my face."

"She's right, you know," I-8 said. "There's no shame in admitting it."

"If you two dislike me that much, you're free to leave the fleet. See if I care."

The heavy cruiser locked Murakumo's arm around hers. "Aww, don't be like that. Do you get lonely when we don't get to hang out with you?"

"You should know when to close that mouth of yours, Twintails."

An enormous wave of relief seemed to have found its way towards everyone on the beach when Bismarck finally returned with her destroyer escorts. Murakumo skipped towards her. "How did it go?"

Bismarck's eyebrows crossed. "Pointless effort. They won't tell us what they're here for, but they're not fooling anyone."

"We just received word from Chief Amagi," Einrost said. "We will uphold the abyssal fleet's ultimatum. Standby for further orders."

"And now they're demanding us something?" Murakumo grinned. "Aren't they feeling especially confident today?"

"What do they want?" Prinz Eugen asked.

"They asked—no, politely threatened us to suspend all of our operations out in the sea," Bismarck replied. "Ridiculous, if I might add."

"What? They want us to surrender?"

"No. They're very specific that they don't want any of our ships and fleet girls leaving our territorial waters. I brought up the issue about our girls back in the morning shift—they said it was fine as long as we don't initiate an engagement."

"But why are we compelled to follow them?" Murakumo asked. "They'll need a much bigger force than that if they want to convince us."

"That geezer's a softie." Bismarck put a hand on her hips, gazing at the horizon. "The second we turn our backs from them, they'll be quick to pull the trigger and pepper us with holes."

"Um, I think they won't," Inazuma said. "Like the commander said earlier, they already had their chance."

"You may be right, Inazuma." Prinz Eugen wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. "We can't lower our guard until all of this is over."

Murakumo gasped. "Wait a second. What if this is a diversion? If they can get this close undetected—"

"We received report of a Navy transport fleet under attack approximately 56 nautical miles, south-southeast of the island," Einrost said. "Two of our scout teams had coordinated to intercept the fleet from behind."

Hatsuyuki heaved a sigh. "Somebody really have to say that."

Murakumo's face turned red. "Hey, don't look at me like I'm at fault or something!"

"What is it to us?" Bismarck said. "They can fend for themselves, can't they?"

"That much is obvious. We might be facing a full-scale invasion here—we'll need every help we can get."

Inazuma looked around and she could tell that the other fleet girls were growing more and more confused. Still, the enemy fleet on the horizon didn't make a move.

Amidst the commotion, an announcement broke out:

_All fleets, be advised—previously reported transport fleet is compromised. Our scouts met heavy resistance. They confirmed the presence of three unique variant abyssal ships in the raiding party.  
_

"Okay, listen here," Einrost said. "Command has issued a new objective and I already signed us up for this rescue operation."

"Cheeky bastard, don't rope us into this," the commander said. It seemed like a long time since Inazuma last heard his voice.

Einrost chuckled. "Well, no point arguing with it now. A high-value mission like this doesn't come up often after all."

The commander glanced at Inazuma. "You don't get it, do you? We can't join in—"

"Won't be a problem if we merged our fleet, which is what I did. Hyuuga's not here and I'll have Hachi lead the task force's submarine squadron, so it's best to stick together like this."

Murakumo nodded. "No objections here."

"I'll be more comfortable with this arrangement," Inazuma said. "What do you think, Commander?"

He looked at Fumizuki. The fleet girl caught on and nodded furiously. "There's no way I'm sitting this one out! Let me in on this, Commander!"

"Alright," he said. "Just be careful out there. Can you look after her, Hatsuyuki?"

Hatsuyuki nodded. "I'll try."

"I'm sorry I can't join everyone," Shirayuki said, "but I'll be praying for your success!"

A few of the fleet girls, Bismarck and Murakumo included, continued to voice their displeasure with the sudden notice, but they didn't waste any more time assembling the fleets participating in the operation. While shorthanded, Bismarck was convinced that they would get it done in no time. Besides, they needed the heavyweights to defend the island's perimeter.

Reaching the final stretch of their preparations, the rescue task force had moved to the shallow waters as they waited for the next order to be given. Officers and other non-combat personnel began to pull out of the shore area, taking shelter in a nearby command outpost. Two ships, the UNV Aircraft Cruiser Manticore and the UNV Destroyer Orca, had arrived from the right-hand side of the island, bearing their guns at the enemies.

"Perhaps this is the perfect day to use this."

Bismarck held up a glossy card between her fingers. The card glowed and flickered, and another set of armaments expanded from her existing gear.

Inazuma quickly recognized the battleship's matching equipment—it was a Class 2 Modular Augmentation Unit, specifically designed to bolster the capabilities of fleet girls. In Bismarck's case, she had a whole set made for her, comprising of independent pieces that operated in a unified system. It was far more impressive than the other models she had seen before.

Her destroyer escorts had brought out their own C2 MAUs as well. They had less components compared to Bismarck's, but still striking enough to draw the attention of the other fleet girls around them. Unsurprisingly, all three sets sported the UNF's color scheme, only that the blue on them was several shades darker.

Murakumo had an annoyed look on her face and Inazuma couldn't help to bring that up. "Um, what's the matter?" she asked.

"Mine's taking so long. I wonder if they'll finish it before the month ends."

"You will have yours too? I bet it's a set like theirs!"

"Well, I'm not particularly excited with it."

"Why? I thought you're looking forward to having one?"

"Yeah, but they're called Class 2 items for a reason. You'll see later on."

Inazuma stared at her terminal's notification log as she tapped on her earpiece. "Commander, still no word from Jintsuu and Sendai?"

"I'm afraid they won't make it in time," he replied over the radio link. "We'll have to make do for this operation."

"Command can't contact the scout teams," Einrost said. "Looks like the air waves are compromised."

Murakumo gasped. "Did they—"

"No. It's most likely they're messing with our comms. Whatever's going on in there, it's clear that they don't want us involved in it."

From their far left, a small battle group came into view. A lone destroyer, not affiliated to the UNF, steamed at full speed in the middle of its fleet girl escorts. They were headed away from the abyssal fleet's blockade, looking to get through as if no one would ever notice them.

"What the hell are they doing?" Bismarck tapped on her terminal. "Stop that Navy ship now!"

A gunship from the Manticore chased after the ship, but it was already too late. When the Navy unit reached a certain distance, several abyssal ships broke off from their formation to intercept them. The abyssal carriers launched their planes to swarm their fleeing targets from above. The escorts noticed this and began sending out their own, but it was nothing more than a display of valor against the overwhelming odds crashing into them.

And then, it started.

Forward units, including UNF warships and coastal installations, had began their offensive towards the hostile fleet, releasing shells and torpedoes in their direction. Carriers cast their mystical arrows and paper cutouts to the sky, launching squadrons of planes into the fray. The resounding cheer that followed moved Inazuma, stirring up a steadily glowing blaze within her.

"Operation Beach Break is a go!" Bismarck shouted. "Follow my lead!"

The thrusters on Bismarck's rear and flank units flared out as she accelerated at an alarming speed. The battleship's speed was a notch ahead from the rest of the girls. Even the 7th fleet's flagship, Shimakaze, had her eyes glued at her with bright, sparkly eyes.

The rescue fleet followed suit with Prinz Eugen as the formation's centerpiece, while the vanguard squadrons flanked them on both sides, providing the buffer they needed to pull through the combat zone. Not long after, the fleet's starboard side was clouded with the smokescreen from Max's exhaust units. The dense smoke trails provided cover for their fleet while Bismarck drew enemy fire at the front. Shells whizzed from their flank, but none of them struck their mark.

"Big Sis, we'll have to split up," Prinz Eugen said. "We can't leave them out in the open!"

"Tch, those Navy girls are pathetic," Bismarck said. "4th and 5th fleets, on me. We'll be holding the line and save those fools from themselves. Murakumo, I'll leave the rescue efforts to you."

"Acknowledged," Murakumo replied. "Let's do this, Inazuma."

"Copy that."

A white translucent field had materialized ahead of Bismarck just as the enemy fleet opened fired, shielding them from the onslaught of shells. Prinz Eugen did the same, but the field was deployed directly above them. Inazuma could feel the force of the shots hammering the field. Heavier shots weakened the mag-ion field, forming cracks on its surface. The enemy fleet had anticipated their advance as they began mobilizing their ships to intercept them. Most of the previously deployed hostile aircraft turned their attention to the rescue fleet. Still, Bismarck didn't stop, drawing even more fire from the enemies.

Murakumo's voice blared through the comm units. "What are you doing?!"

"Ramming speed, that's what!"

A few hundred yards before they could reach the enemy's primary defense line, Bismarck's field shattered like glass. Chunks of steel and circuitry flew away as the battleship took the shells head-on. As it happened, her destroyer escorts quickly deployed mag-ion fields of their own, positioning themselves on Bismarck's flanks. "Initiate Phase 2! We're almost there!"

The rescue fleet deviated a few degrees to the left from their current course, heading towards the listing Navy destroyer. Abyssal aircraft swooped down from their portside, but the incessant aerial barrage from the vanguard squadrons helped the fleet to gain some breathing room.

Meanwhile, Lebe and Max activated their SSM pods and launched a volley of miniature missiles to the sky. The missiles arched towards an approaching enemy squadron, striking the waters ahead of them. They detonated into thick clouds of smoke, disorienting the enemy ships from their positions. This signaled the aerial squadrons to move in and drop their payload onto the abyssal ships. The warheads went off in quick succession, further obscuring the enemy line inside a hazy inferno.

A final burst of speed allowed Bismarck to close in on an enemy group before her thrusters gave way and exploded. Rocketing straight to a Ru-class battleship, she pulled back her arm and punched the abyssal ship square in the face. Her unfortunate victim skipped and tumbled away, covering an impressive distance. For the coup de grace, she unleashed a thunderous salvo, enveloping the enemy battleship into a fiery chain of explosions.

"Th-That's hardcore!" Prinz Eugen raised a fist in the air. "As expected of Big Sis!"

Murakumo only narrowed her eyes. "Does she have a death wish or something?"

"Those thrusters are pretty fragile, huh?" Shimakaze said. "I still want them though."

Bismarck's companions caught up to her, directing their guns at the enemies. Their intense offensive proved to be effective in pushing back the abyssal ships. In the midst of the crossfire, Bismarck used the diversion as an opportunity to reposition herself. She lined up a massive rectangular cannon from her shoulder, pointing at the hostile ships from their left flank. "Hey, have you ever wondered what science tastes like?!"

Several abyssal ships turned to face her, responding with a stream of shells to her direction. The cannon's muzzle emitted a bright yellow glow before it unleashed a supercharged shell, detonating into an overwhelming flash of gold. "Eat it!"

* * *

Upon reaching the Navy unit, a few girls from the vanguard squadrons began aiding the injured Navy fleet girls and crew members while the rest of them provided cover fire and screen tactics. All the while, the rescue fleet pushed through at full speed without looking back. Abyssal bombers took chase, but friendly fighter planes struck them from the flank, reducing them into a hail of metal scraps. Surviving hostile planes persisted to attack, but they were also shot down by anti-aircraft artillery from the rear. Thanks to their combined efforts, the rescue fleet managed to slip away from the combat zone with minimal damages.

"Only destroyers and cruisers are left, huh?" Nagatsuki said. "What are our chances here?"

"Well, could be worse," Maya replied. "This whole thing is getting on my nerves."

"Um, I'm still here," Shoukaku said.

Prinz Eugen adjusted her cap. "Hey, have a little faith in your comrades."

Ayanami nodded, smiling. "Yes, we can do this. Presence of mind is important at times like these."

Nagatsuki's eyebrows crossed. "Easy for you to say."

"Report from Albatross," Kumano said. "Hostile unit bearing zero six zero—closing in at high speed. Surface ships consist of one light carrier, two light cruisers, and two destroyers."

Murakumo summoned her spear, spinning it twice. "We'll have to intercept. We can't let them interfere with our rescue efforts."

Shoukaku put three nocks on her bow, letting them loose in one fluid motion. The arrows soared in the sky, exploding into silver orbs of light. The orbs materialized into planes almost instantly, and two of the three plane squadrons sped towards a group of black dots emerging above the horizon.

"Leave it to us," Shimakaze said. "We'll catch up when we're done."

Murakumo glanced over her shoulder. "Are you sure?"

"Of course, speed is of the essence here. It would be a shame for you lot if we caught up to you after our cleanup."

"Heh, so you're giving us a head start? Go get them!"

Shimakaze's fleet broke out of the formation and followed Shoukaku's planes. It would have been better if it had ended there, but Inazuma knew that her luck had been particularly fickle today:

"I have detected another fast approaching hostile unit—bearing zero two zero," Kumano said. "One battleship and three heavy cruisers this time."

"Again? No—evasive actions, now!" With Murakumo's command, the fleet dispersed as quickly as possible. The torpedo blasts caught a few of them, but they weren't seriously injured.

Wincing, Maya picked herself up. "Ngh, I felt that. Props to the prick who fired those."

"They've been expecting us." Murakumo put a hand on her ear. "Hachi, tagged those submarines yet?"

"We have them on our sights," I-8 replied in a hallow voice. "You should focus on the surface fleet. The battleship might give you trouble."

"Inazuma, lead the fleet from here. We'll take those guys on."

Inazuma was taken aback. "Eh? But what about—"

"You heard me, just go! Twintails got your back!"

Prinz Eugen pouted. "All of you better come back in one piece, you hear?"

Murakumo, together with Shoukaku and Kumano, raced against the waves as they altered course. Inazuma swallowed her anxiety as she focused at the task at hand. She couldn't fail her friends now!

They hurried against time, plowing through everything that stood in their path. On the other hand, abyssal aircraft proved to be equally determined as they kept shooting down the rescue fleet's seaplanes. They had air superiority, but they only seemed to be concerned about enemy planes entering their airspace as they never bothered to prey on the fleet girls themselves. As if the lack of communications from headquarters weren't enough, Inazuma had to cope up with the little intel they had while hostile planes continued to patrol the skies above.

Soon, they reached their target sea area and the remains of the Navy transport fleet came into view. The disquieting sight before them was breathtaking in its own right. Copious amounts of debris and freight containers turned the sea area into one big scrapyard. One of the destroyer escorts, missing most of its superstructure, had capsized on its starboard side, slowly sinking beneath the waves. Another destroyer had its bow pointed to the sky as the water had already consumed half of the ship's hull.

Whoever did this, it was clear that sinking those Navy ships weren't enough to satisfy them.

By some stroke of luck, the cargo ship itself was spared from the destruction as it was still floating quite a distance away. Inazuma quickly ordered to change course towards it. As they closed in, it became apparent that the ship was slowly moving sideways. But before they could investigate any further, a loud ripping sound broke out from the ship.

Amidst the agonizing noise, a figure appeared around the cargo ship's aft. Maya's eyes widened. "C-Crap, is she who I think she is?"

The mere presence of the white-haired abyssal girl stopped the fleet from its tracks. Her calm red eyes swept the area before her while the rescue fleet readied their guns. The brief moment of terror passed as she turned her back and walked away. The lack of interest she had displayed stunned everybody. But to Inazuma, it was a godsend.

Prinz Eugen fanned herself with her hand. "I hope this encounter didn't burn all my luck in this lifetime."

"Did she just ignore us?" Nagatsuki clutched her hand cannon. "How about we—"

"H-Hold on. This is our chance," Inazuma said. "We're not here to fight."

"Can't blame 'em," Maya said. "It looks like they're more interested in that large ship than us. And in case you haven't noticed, she's an installation-type abyssal chick."

"I know," Nagatsuki replied. "She might be tough as nails, but she's not invincible. If we gang up on her—"

"That's not what I meant, you brat. I was talking about why she's here. Probably something so important that the big shots are doing the work themselves. And I don't like the idea of babysitting everyone's asses if things happen to go south here."

"I'm quite interested too," Ayanami said, "but we should keep going. We can't linger here for too long."

Inazuma nodded; they had bigger fish to fry.

And so, the fleet had begun their rescue efforts, towing incapacitated fleet girls and life boats stranded in the wreckage. The crewmen they rescued were very tight-lipped when they interrogated them, but they had shared the more important details that Inazuma and the others cared about.

She let out a sigh of relief when she learned that most of the crewmen had already escaped after the initial assault of the enemy. It also helped that every ship was only operated by a skeleton crew and they were given time to abandon ship with the intervention of the scout fleets.

Deeper into the area, the booming of cannon fire took their attention. The flagships quickly responded as they stalked the source of the commotion.

Surviving fleet girl escorts, battered and weakened as they were, remained defiant against their enemies. Bearing their guns towards an approaching abyssal unit, they launched a final salvo before one of them collapsed. The abyssal ships evaded the shells as they continued their approach without retaliating. The flagships rushed in, but the enemies had caught up to the Navy girls, leveling their guns to the injured party.

The enemy unit's battleship faced them. One of her massive batteries hovered next to the Navy fleet girls. "We've been expecting you. Not that your presence here would make a difference."

Her accommodating tone was unsettling at best. Maya stepped forward, flexing her arm. "Really? Care to test that out?"

"Not so fast," Nagatsuki raised her naval gun to her chest. "I could use some action myself."

"Such confidence," the abyssal battleship said. "It seems like we're getting our share of fun here after all."

Light Cruiser Natori helped the other fleet girl sprawled next to her. The Ri-class cruiser noticed them and fired her cannon. The powerful blast knocked the two fleet girls away. Natori was mostly unscathed as she slowly sat up, but her savior began her slow descent into the water. Tears fell on her cheeks as she scooped up her friend. "Haguro... why?!"

"How impatient." The abyssal battleship grinned, looking at her comrade.

"Oops, my bad. I'm itchin' to fire, see? They told us to hold back, but I'm so tired of waiting here."

Heavy Cruiser Ashigara rushed to where Natori was. Every step she took was a struggle as her legs began to sink further into the water. She kneeled, cradling the lifeless body in her arms. "You bastard!"

"Why so pissed? I did you the favor of removing the dead weight, so you should be thanking—"

Battleship Fusou had fired her last functioning battery, engulfing the abyssal cruiser in a bright flash. When the smoke cleared, the abyssal ship only cracked a smile. She aimed her massive gun at Fusou. "Nice try, but you're starting to get annoying."

Her arm cannon emitted a considerable blaze as it fired, but the shell never struck its target.

Ayanami stood in front of the disgruntled cruiser. She held a sleek, black hatchet that was firmly lodged on the enemy's cannon. "Enough."

The Ri-class cruiser swung her other arm, but Ayanami simply dipped low, shoved her naval gun on the cruiser's stomach, and pulled the trigger. The following blast sent the abyssal ship skipping on the water while Ayanami skidded backwards.

The abyssal battleship gestured at her other ally, a Chi-class torpedo cruiser, who responded with her own cannon fire. Ayanami leaned to her left, dodging an incoming shell by a hair. She threw another hatchet straight at the cannon's muzzle, which exploded to bits just before it could fire again. The torpedo cruiser lurched back with a growl, summoning her mobile platform to support herself.

A flickering crimson aura burst from the abyssal heavy cruiser as she rejoined the fight. She fired a shell towards Ayanami, swallowing her whole inside a huge torrent. A loud clang was heard. And when the water settled down, Inazuma couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Ayanami had blocked the cruiser's punch with the blunt side of her hatchet. Neither of them gave in as they struggled to push each other back, but the confidence from the cruiser's face had begun to fade. "Wh-What are you?! A destroyer runt shouldn't have this much power!"

"Last week, a heavy cruiser like you mentioned something similar. I believe she has a different opinion about us destroyers now." Ayanami looked over her shoulder, teeth clenched. "Inazuma, I'll try to hold them off. Get the others to safety."

The Ru-class battleship shifted to a battle stance. "And what makes you think I'll allow—"

Her head suddenly exploded. Maya grinned as she lowered her forearm turret, propelling herself forward with a powerful kick. "Enough talk. Let's get over this already!"

Enveloped in a blazing red hue, the battleship released a mighty salvo towards them. Maya bolted to the left while Inazuma and Nagatsuki scampered to the other direction. The spot where they had been standing was consumed in a mass of smoke and fireballs.

"A-Ah, right!" Inazuma composed herself as she grabbed Nagatsuki, pulling her away before she could join the others. She glanced back again to see Maya dodging an overhead swipe of the enemy battleship's halberd. Meanwhile, Ayanami had her hands full with the two enemy cruisers, dancing through their deadly projectiles.

"What are you doing?!" Nagatsuki pulled her arm away. "We can just beat them up and finish this, right?"

"But rescuing the injured is our first priority. I'm sure they can handle it."

Nagatsuki inhaled slowly and deeply. "Is that so? You better make up for later."

Her sudden change of disposition confused Inazuma. "E-Eh?! How am I supposed to—"

She closed her eyes, deep in thought. "Maybe some dessert for dinner? I'm craving for some flan lately too."

"Are you hungry? Wait, this isn't the time to think about food!"

"Heh, that's the Inazuma I know. Gives you a reason to live through this operation, yeah?"

"Um, I'm not sure where this is going..."

"You looked so stiff. I know you're nervous right now, but we're in this together. So, chin up and keep at it."

Inazuma smiled. Embarrassed as she was, those were words that she didn't think she would even need at a time like this. "Thank you."

The Navy fleet girls gave them a wary look as they arrived. Inazuma realized how terrible they were when she got to look at them up close. "U-Um, we're here to help," she said.

Ashigara looked like she had something to say, but she sighed instead. "I guess we don't have a choice, do we?"

"Nagatsuki, can you help Miss Fusou?"

"N-No, I can still move," Fusou said, recalling her damaged armaments. "Please help Ashigara instead."

"You guys are taking so long!" came Prinz Eugen's voice from the right. Three more fleet girls followed behind her, including Hatsuyuki and Fumizuki. With their help, they brought the injured fleet girls back to the main fleet. Fusou and Natori brought Haguro's body aboard a motorboat.

"We already went the trouble of pushing our way back here to salvage important cargos and packages from the ships," Ashigara said. "Still, our job here is far from over until—"

"Easy there," Prinz Eugen hoisted the Navy cruiser up from her shoulders. You can barely hold your footing. Another hit and you'll sink for good."

Ashigara snarled as she pulled herself away from the blonde cruiser. "Do you think I didn't know that?! We're as good as dead at this point anyway."

"Dead? What do you mean?"

"What's the point in trying?" Fusou said. "We've failed. We can't return home."

"No, you can't possibly call it quits here!" Fumizuki said.

The battleship began trembling. "You... You don't understand. We failed to protect the fleet and its shipment. Those are the only things that mattered."

Natori placed a hand over her shoulder. "Miss Fusou, please hang in there!"

"Okay, I think we already established that they're very important," Nagatsuki said. "So, what are these packages exactly?"

Silence. Inazuma had expected such response.

"Counting the amount of escort vessels and fleet girls involved here, it's no question that you guys are shipping some top-grade, classified items," Prinz Eugen pointed at the cargo ship slowly drifting away. "And I'm betting the entirety of my limited-time badge collection that it has to be on that ship right now."

"C-Can you help us?!" Ashigara placed her hands on Prinz Eugen's shoulders. "If we worked together, I'm sure we can—"

"We have no chance of winning." Prinz Eugen shrugged, eyeing the swarm of hostile planes above them. "The reason why we're still floating is because we haven't fired the first shot to the guys over there. If we get ahead of ourselves, we're all riding a one-way trip to the ocean floor."

"And no offense, but how are we supposed to help you guys if you can't even tell us what those packages are?" Nagatsuki crossed her arms. "Can we just focus on staying alive for now?"

Ashigara glared at her. "Are you afraid? That's not a trait a fleet girl should—"

"I thought you Navy girls are already past that kind of thinking." Prinz Eugen jutted a thumb towards Inazuma. "And I'm not the one calling the shots here."

"Your fleet's flagship is a destroyer?"

Nagatsuki's eyes narrowed. "And you better show respect if you're still looking to appeal something from us."

"I understand. Inazuma, was it?" Ashigara began. "While we can't disclose the finer details about the shipment, I would be very greatful if you could spare us a few hands to retrieve one particular item onboard every transport vessel in our fleet."

Prinz Eugen sighed. "Oh man, it's one after another—what is it this time?"

"Mag-ion cells." Ashigara glanced at the crewmen who began to exchange nervous looks. "This particular batch is an experimental variant that the Navy has been developing for quite some time now. These cells are still on restricted territory, but you left me with no other options."

"Hey, we didn't save you just to put yourselves in harm's way again," Nagatsuki said.

"She's right, Ashigara. We don't have to do this," Fusou said. "And sharing restricted information is—"

"To hell with the protocols. My pride won't allow me to give up so easily," Ashigara's eyes focused on Haguro's body. "Just keep her from slipping out and we'll call it even. Natori, I'll be counting on you."

Natori saluted. "Y-Yes! I'll do what I can!"

"If that's the plan, then count us in," a ship captain told Ashigara. "Let's grab as many as we can while we're out here."

Nagatsuki waved a hand in front of her. "Ugh, I'm not gonna try anymore. Do what you want."

"I can help them, Inazuma," Fumizuki said. "We won't take long for sure!"

"What's this sudden enthusiasm?" Prinz Eugen said. "We're far too stretched to divide the fleet again and—"

"I'll go with her," Hatsuyuki said. "That would be enough... I think."

"Are you okay with that?"

"Commander's orders."

"The mag-ion cells are kept in cargo holds that should automatically open when a sinking ship enters a certain depth," Ashigara said. "I've heard that the items they usually transport are fragile, so most containers are equipped with a floater system to send them back to the surface.

"What we're looking for should be inside a few of those freight containers. The cells themselves are compact, so carrying them around shouldn't be a problem."

"Sounds, uh, convenient," Prinz Eugen said. "Your call, Inazuma."

Suddenly, familiar voices flooded Inazuma's earpiece. She could also make out the booming of artillery and the roaring of engines in the background. She waited a few more seconds before the noise settled down. "Inazuma, can you hear me?"

"C-Commander! We need to link up with the scout fleets and the other survivors."

"Consider it done. The coast guard from the nearest satellite outpost already mobilized to their coordinates. You should concern yourself less about them now." Inazuma had given him a brief report of their situation, which was then relayed to High Command's Operations Control Department. She received their next instruction a couple of seconds later. "Evacuate to the north and meet up with a coast guard unit there. Things are still busy on our side and we can't afford anyone to get caught in the crossfire."

Inazuma swallowed, hesitating as she glanced at Ashigara. "And, um, Commander... we have a slight problem."

"We heard the important bits. Personally, I couldn't care less about it—"

"...But we can demand a higher payout if we helped them out," Einrost said. "Don't worry, Inazuma. We got your back."

"We're on our way," Murakumo chimed in. "Those hardheaded fools aside, get the rest of the fleet out of there. Shimakaze and the rest will join the main fleet shortly. We will have to keep watch of those high-ranking abyssals in there too. Having them so close to the island chain is a threat in itself."

Inazuma wasn't convinced. "B-But commander, are you sure that—"

The commander sighed. "Just do it already."

"I apologize, Miss Inazuma," Aster said. "We're still having trouble with the interference field plaguing the sea area you're in. You might have to wait a little longer before we can tether the communication links for everyone."

"No, it's a great help! Thank you!"

"Since we've already decided, I'll take point this time," Nagatsuki said. "We gotta make sure our route is safe."

"Thanks. I'll leave it up to you." Just before they set out, a deafening roar made her hair stand on end. It broke down a few seconds later, mellowing out into an eerie moan. She looked in the direction of the cargo ship. "Wh-What was that just now?"

"Trouble... you should hurry," Hatsuyuki said. "Don't worry about us."

As planned, the main fleet cruised northward at full speed. However, not even a quarter of an hour had passed when several figures burst out behind the fleet, firing with reckless abandon. Prinz Eugen activated her mag-ion field as it clashed against high-explosive shells. Inazuma closed in on one of the abyssal destroyers. "Don't stop! I'll distract them!"

Prinz Eugen complied with a nod as she urged the fleet to keep on moving. Inazuma looked back just in time to dodge a head-on attack from a destroyer. She responded with several shots from her gun mounts and the abyssal ship finally came to a stop as it began to list on its portside.

Two more destroyers went pass her and she tried to chase after them, but another one screened their tracks with a well-timed shot. The resulting torrent sent her reeling backwards. Before she could pull out and retreat, more destroyers appeared behind her, boxing her in. She began to hear cannon fire from the rescue fleet in the distance. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

"We can manage," Prinz Eugen replied, "but we're not sure how many of these things are following us. How about you?"

"I'll catch up when I find an opening—"

A humanoid abyssal ship emerged in front of her. "Oh? What do we have here? A cute little destroyer seems to have wandered off from the pack."

"—or not." The realization struck Inazuma hard. _So that's why these destroyers are very coordinated._

"Inazuma, what's your status?" the commander asked.

"I... I'm surrounded—one Ne-class heavy cruiser and three Ro-class destroyers. A few of them chased after the fleet."

The monochrome cruiser circled around Inazuma, her exposed eye radiating a faint blue shade. Her tail-like appendage twitched as it swayed behind her. She cocked her head to the side. "I thought it would be nice to get to play around like this once in a while, but... I wonder."

"A Ne-class cruiser?! Are you serious?" Einrost's voice became shaky. "Oh goddess, this is bad. Inazuma will—"

"Sinking isn't part of the game plan," the commander replied. His voice was unexpectedly firm and confident. She was glad that the commander think so highly of her, but a destroyer like her could only do so much against a heavy cruiser.

"Listen," he said, "her escorts are the least of your worries. Don't stray too far away from her, but not too close though or she'll decimate you with her guns. Never show your back towards her. I can't stress enough how important that is—you'll be dead the moment you lose track of her."

Relaxing her limbs, Inazuma shifted her legs to a more comfortable stance. "Copy that."

"You're out of your mind," Einrost said. "You're letting her fight?"

The commander paused for a moment. "Maybe I am, but it's not like we have a choice here. Pulling back at this point will only put her at greater risk."

"Tch, none of these make sense anymore!"

"Stop whining over the radio, will you?" Murakumo replied. "Let her concentrate. Someone who can stand on their own two feet after a sparring session with me can't be beaten so easily."

"You look tense," the abyssal cruiser said. "You should ease up a bit. It'll help if you think of this as a game."

"This... This isn't a game!"

"It is to me. Indecision begets fatal outcomes." The Ne-class cruiser whistled, and the destroyers, each radiating a golden hue, began to chase after the main fleet. "What will it be, little destroyer?"

Inazuma aimed her guns towards the pursuing ships. "No! Prinz Eugen, more destroyers on your six!"

"Come on, dearie. Don't disappoint me now." With the flick of her fingers, the cruiser's tail opened fired. Inazuma bolted to the right and retaliated with her turrets, resulting in a quick exchange of gunfire. None of the shells hit their mark, merely grazing the combatants. However, the cruiser had anticipated Inazuma's next maneuver as she released a full salvo ahead of the destroyer's path.

Inazuma barely had the time to dodge the shells as she dived out of the way. Sharp pain crawled up to her thighs while she forced herself up to her knees, looking up to the approaching abyssal ship. Her torpedo mounts adjusted slightly, angled towards the surface, and fired all but two of her torpedoes into the water.

The cruiser weaved through the torpedo spread as she closed the distance between them. Inazuma followed up with two shots from her gun mount, but the enemy was quick to cover her face using her tail as a makeshift shield.

The cruiser hopped and spun around, lashing out her tail to the left. Inazuma blocked it with her mount plating, but the sheer force of the blow sent her tumbling away. She stretched out her limbs towards the water as she skidded for a short distance. Out of breath, she managed to regain her balance, but the abyssal ship had already begun her advance. The cruiser approached in a curve, lifting her plated leg up for a high kick.

Gritting her teeth, Inazuma released a concentrated shot into the water in front of her. The upward surge caused the cruiser to stop in her tracks momentarily. Seizing this chance, Inazuma rolled to the side and fired a salvo towards the abyssal ship who staggered at the blasts. She picked herself up and glided backwards to gain some distance, releasing her remaining torpedoes. The pair of torpedoes traced and struck their prey, sending a hefty splash towards the sky.

The heavy cruiser only stood there as seawater rained on her. Pieces of metal and fleshy protuberance from her tail began to fall apart. She crossed her arms. "Hmm, you're quite tough for a tiny destroyer. I like you."

Inazuma took a moment catch her breath. All the while, she focused her energy to load fresh ammo into her armaments. "Th-This isn't good."

"Well, you should take it easy then." The cruiser chuckled. "It's not like I'm in a rush to dispose of you."

She pointed a pale finger to the glistening surface. Inazuma's eyes widened. "Since when—!"

A split-second flash of blue lit the water before her. And in the next few moments, she found herself lying on the water again, waves brushing against her face. Her lungs called out for precious air and she complied with a desperate gasp, but she went into a coughing fit as water accidentally entered her nose and mouth. Her limbs felt numb while the rest of her body was about to give in.

That torpedo should have sunk her, but it detonated prematurely for her to take the full brunt of the blast. It felt like it was calculated strike, only intending to maim her than killing her then and there. If so, why didn't the enemy finish her off? Small details didn't matter for now. By some miracle, she could still move. Her weapons and communication links were operational as well. Inazuma forced herself to stand up on worn and shaky legs while the cruiser only watched her from afar. "You're holding back, aren't you?" she asked, her vision blurring.

"Hmm? You could say that."

Inazuma collapsed to her knees, struggling to keep herself afloat. "Th-Then why?"

"Ah, didn't I tell you already? I'm here to play." The cruiser started to advance again. "You're not half bad yourself. I want to see more."

The barrels of her shoulder gun mount lowered slightly as she took aim at the enemy, but an inexplicable burst of speed allowed the cruiser to close in, leaving no time for her to react. The abyssal ship lifted Inazuma by the collar as if she had scooped a fish out of the water. "And oh, I almost forgot. You're the flagship of one of those units, am I correct? I was hoping you could answer some questions for me."

"Q-Questions?"

"We're hunting a... rogue child out in these parts," she said. "She's about as tall as you, has a milky white complexion—well, she looks like one of you girls, but—"

Her eyes caught a black and orange blur on her left. A shrill clang followed. The intense force of the kick warped the water beneath them, but it didn't have any apparent effect on the heavy cruiser who used her tail to block the attack. Inazuma gasped. "Sendai?!"

Fleshy tissues quickly enveloped Sendai's ankle, preventing her escape and suspending her helplessly. The abyssal cruiser glanced at her. "It's rude when you interrupt someone talking. You should be taught some manners."

Sendai struggled as she flailed her arms around. "H-Hey! Lemme go!"

The abyssal cruiser only chuckled, placing the other tail end on Sendai's stomach. "Well, as you wish."

"Ah... crap—"

The blast sent her skipping for a distance. "S-Sendai!" Jintsuu aimed her guns to the abyssal cruiser, but the enemy was quick to use Inazuma as a shield. "Let her go!"

Holding up her index finger, the abyssal cruiser glanced at the cruiser. "Stay where you are. I'm not done with her."

"Inazuma, carrier-based planes inbound to your position," Einrost said. "A carrier battle group from the Naval Domain will be arriving shortly in the area."

This was new—the Navy actually sending a battle group of their own as reinforcements?

And soon enough, planes came into view. Even the abyssal cruiser seemed to be impressed, not moving an inch as squadrons of planes passed over them. One of the squadrons strayed from its course as it started to swoop towards them. The abyssal cruiser whispered under her breath as her eye radiated a bright deep blue. She made one swift motion of her arm, flinging the fleet girl away like a rag doll.

Losing momentum, Inazuma rolled and tumbled until she finally stopped in a tangled mess. She pushed herself up to see an unfamiliar plane dropping another bomb within the brewing firestorm. A flash of red engulfed the Ne-class cruiser as the bomb struck her with an earsplitting clap. The shock wave that followed sent the secretary tumbling even further. She could feel the searing heat of the blast closing toward unbearable levels. The sudden spike of mag-ion energy was interfering with her system as well, but she managed to fall back before collapsing out of exhaustion.

She was safe, but her friends weren't so lucky.

It took every ounce of energy to pull herself up again from the wavy surface and dragged herself to Sendai and Jintsuu.

The light cruisers, suffering from what looked like second-degree burns and shrapnel wounds, were unconscious. Nevertheless, Inazuma was relieved that they were still breathing. She activated their emergency floaters and anchored them together with a rope. As she was done tightening the knot, she stumbled towards the purplish sky over the horizon. The enthralling sight made her blood run cold.

Nausea suddenly struck her, the world around her spun in odd, varying angles.

And this time, she blacked out.

* * *

She couldn't remember much after she had activated her own floatation device. Or perhaps she didn't want to remember them at all? Only bits and pieces of memories swirled in her mind, wavering as she sifted through them:

_The clear blue sky above. The waves splashing against her feet._

_The stinging sensation of sunlight against her skin._

_Distress calls flooding out of her earpiece._

Other than Sendai and Jintsuu, her friends back at the site of the incident were casualties of the relentless bombing from the very same planes she had seen earlier. The Navy planes weren't aiming for any specific targets—it was reported that they intended to lay waste to the immediate sea area. Any surface contact, friend or foe, were simply collateral damage. As a result, Hatsuyuki was mortally injured. And Fumizuki was dead.

When she first heard of this news, she was surprised herself that she didn't break down into tears or collapse out of shock. Her thought process simply froze, drifting into a space of nothingness for a good while. She just didn't know how to make out those horrible things that seemed to have snuck up on them so suddenly. She also didn't know if she should be happy that they were able to retrieve Fumizuki's body. Nagatsuki told her that they were fortunate enough that they did, mostly thanks to Hatsuyuki's last ditch effort of keeping the body afloat until rescue came to get them.

Speaking of which, she would be sharing Fumizuki's fate if it weren't for the Ne-class cruiser who chucked her away before those bombs fell. What was her deal and why did she save her? Mulling over it only confused her more.

She spent the rest of the trip back to Auspice Island like this, going around in circles in her head while staring at the ceiling of the medical bay. She was able to finish a pack of energy gumdrops given to her by a fellow destroyer from the coast guard, but her body still felt weary and restless—something that she just couldn't get rid of completely. Perhaps the mental fatigue had caught up to her without realizing it.

When they arrived at the launch bay, she had to accompany the commander in an emergency meeting. She didn't want to attend at first, but she realized that she have to hear some answers herself. She needed to know why such a thing had to happen to everyone. Her friends were in capable hands now, and Shirayuki promised to watch over them while she was gone. Still, she felt anxious and restless after all the reassuring she had mustered up, draining her physical and mental fortitude at once. Despite her best efforts to contain it, all the pessimism emanating from her seemed to have caught the commander's attention.

He never asked if she was okay or anything. He talked to her as if it was any other day—exchanging small talk and occasional jabs at each other.

And just talking to the commander like that helped her to settle down as they walked towards their destination.

The tension and hostility inside the assembly hall was greater than she imagined. Once the important officials took their respective places, on and around the center platform, they wasted no time getting on the crucial details of the earlier events. Inazuma quickly noticed one thing as the meeting progressed: the longer those Navy officials talked, the more people became ticked off because of their indifferent attitude throughout the proceedings.

Eventually, the transport fleet and its shipment were brought up. Surprising no one, the Navy never bothered to answer any of the queries. Apparently, it was so confidential that they had to get rid of all evidence that a Navy transport fleet had been there. Under the guise of ocean cleanup and retrieval operations, they also had the site's perimeter secured to cover all their bases.

They also insisted that the friendly fire incident was an honest mistake caused by miscommunication between the fleets, but the commander wouldn't have any of that miserable excuse. Well, none of them would. Before the meeting ended, he stood up, grabbed a microphone, and spoke in a stern but restrained tone:

"I demand compensation from all the damages incurred to my fleet. Same goes for the other fleets who participated in the rescue operation."

Nothing more, nothing less. Concise and straight to the point.

Prior his intrusion, he had been intently listening to the heated back and forths of High Command and Naval Domain officers. This was somewhat a regular occurrence whenever these two parties were present in the same room, constantly banging their heads at each other for hours on end. The commander had always told her not to overthink about the things they talk about there, like politics. Especially politics. Even the representatives from the Northern Federal Union were having headaches dealing with their scuffles over the slightest things.

But today, the commander seemed to have reached his limit, and it was the first time he had made his voice known throughout the hall.

Rear Admiral Burton, the commander of the carrier battle group responsible for the bombardment, raised his eyebrow and scoffed at his demand, but the commander was also quick to remind the Navy of their incompetence that cost the lives of several fleet girls. Pleasantries were drop at this point as the Rear Admiral outright blamed them for staying inside a dead zone while the enemy had the skies for themselves. Their exchange caused a huge uproar in the hall, and an intimidating standoff between the fleet girls in attendance threatened to turn the assembly hall into a warzone.

Even before the meeting started, Bismarck had been very vocal about how she wanted to pummel the Navy carriers across her, and Inazuma wouldn't certainly put it past her if she had the chance to do so. Prinz Eugen did her best to help simmer down the situation, but she looked like she was about to tap out and slump onto the floor.

The commander received two infraction strikes, but it was worth it. Well worth the trouble after the Joint Committee approved an immediate order to grant them additional payment on top of the liabilities and other charges the Navy had to shell out for.

"If they can get away with it, might as well ask for damage fees," he whispered.

After the post-operation review was over, they immediately left the hall and went towards the armory. The sooner they leave, the better—they didn't want to get caught up in a scuffle and rack up more infractions.

As they turned around the corner, a Navy officer ran up to them. She had a confident grin on her face as she brushed a few stands of hair on her forehead. "What do you want?" he asked.

"I'm Lieutenant Harline, commander of the Naval Domain's 22nd Reserve—" The young woman snapped as he began walking again. She reached out for his arm to stop him. "Hey, are you listening?!"

He looked back, glaring at her. The Navy officer shrunk back a little, but she kept her grip on his arm. "I didn't expect much in an organization with a loose, almost non-existent chain of command, but this is just unacceptable. I admit that you have the balls to call him out, but you should know your place even if—"

Einrost ran past Inazuma and he pulled Harline away. "Hey missy, cut it out."

"And what's your problem?"

"If there's one person you should avoid right now, it's him."

"He's just an AR2 officer—why should I be afraid of him?" Harline slapped his hand away. "And who are you to tell me that anyway?"

"Wait a minute... are you hitting on him?"

Her eyelids started to flutter. "Wh-Where did you get that ludicrous idea? Are you insane? Is this some kind of standard in this place? Ridiculous!"

Smiling, he turned to look at Inazuma. "Keep an eye on him, okay? I'm kinda worried that he might snap all of a sudden."

Inazuma nodded. "How's Murakumo and the others?"

"They're fine," Einrost said as he lowered his cap. "I'm sorry about Fumizuki. It was my idea to help Ashigara and—"

"A-Ah! Don't blame yourself!" She paused for a second, taking a deep breath. "I'm just as responsible as I was the acting flagship of the fleet when it happened, but the commander told me that it was a situation that's simply beyond our reach. The more important part is how we endure and recover after a crippling blow. Er, um, something like that?"

"Heh, not even sure what to think of that."

"At the end of the day, he considers the mission a success." She looked at her feet, shifting one slightly apart from the other. "Maybe he's just saying that to make us feel better—um, I don't know. Uu... I feel like blaming myself again."

"Probably, but let me tell you that he's definitely not the optimistic type. I'm sure you noticed that many times already, but hearing him say things like that is sort of frightening on its own."

"Yeah, he can be really scary at times."

"But knowing your thoughts about this mess helped a lot, Inazuma. Thanks." He leaned close to her and winked. "Remember, I'm always rooting for you two. You know where to find me if you need... tips."

Inazuma almost choked on her words, but she recovered quickly as she gave her thanks. Meanwhile, Harline only stood beside her as she drilled holes into the commander's back with her eyes. It took some convincing from Einrost for her to give up. And when she did, she focused her attention on the destroyer. "You poor thing, serving that ill-mannered, good-for-nothing officer like him..."

She had to double take on the sudden shift of the officer's tone. "Wh-What are you saying?"

Taking a step forward, Harline took her hands. "I can't even imagine how hard it must be for you to work with him every single day. As your superior officer, I advise that you should reconsider your options and ask to be reassigned to a more self-respecting commanding officer as soon as possible. Or better yet, renounce your duties here and I'll be sure to welcome a returnee like you with open arms!"

Einrost tilted his head to the side. "You knew she was a Navy girl?"

Harline nodded. "I had someone to look into her background during the meeting earlier. Such a waste of talent."

Another Navy officer approached them. "Are you done with your dilly-dallying, Harline?" she asked while her eyes never left the tablet screen. "We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow."

"You just disappeared all of a sudden! I thought you left me again!" Harline raised an eyebrow. "Where did you go?"

"It doesn't matter." The woman looked up from the tablet. "I should apologize for the trouble she imposed on you. She can be quite a handful."

"You made it sound like I did something horrible to them!"

"What was that, Lieutenant?"

"N-Nothing, ma'am!"

The woman happened to look at the opposite end of the corridor where the commander stood. The eyes of the two officers locked and a smile splayed across her face. "We shall take our leave. Good night."

Just like that, the Navy officers walked back to the assembly hall's lobby. "What an odd pair," Einrost said, stretching his arms. "Hey, don't you have somewhere else to go to right now?"

Inazuma turned her head and noticed that the commander had already disappeared. "A-Ah! Commander, wait!"

Picking up her pace, she caught up to the commander as they stepped into the factory and moved across the crowded waiting area. A restless Akatsuki had been waiting inside the conception hall when they arrived. Although she wanted to attend the meeting earlier, she had decided to tend to the needs of their friends instead. She walked towards them with her arms crossed. "What took you so long?"

"Sorry, Akatsuki," Inazuma said. "The meeting was very... intense today. I'm just glad nothing bad happened."

"Well, you're just in time," Charm said, stuffing her hands inside her coat pockets. "I presume you have already decided?"

"Bring her back," the commander said.

The fairy smiled. "Hmph, very well," she said, looking at her colleague. "Fermi, prep up the generators for me."

"I don't have plans to object, but are you sure about this?" Akatsuki asked. "You do know that she won't be the same Fumizuki we met two days ago, right?"

"I know, but she deserves this chance," he replied, his face darkening. "This never should have happened."

"Alright, can we use that procedure when we constructed Sendai?"

"Denied," Charm said. "I know that it sounds like the most logical choice right now, but trust me when I say that she's better off without those memories. Let her have a fresh start."

"I wasn't expecting that from you."

"Oh? Don't get me wrong. Our admiral here already suggested the same idea and I'd like to take this chance for a live experiment myself, but the risks are exceptionally high this time around."

Akatsuki had her eyes narrowed. "What could go wrong?"

"Do you want her to come out as an obsessed and deranged girl, murdering anyone who enters within a two meter radius around your admiral? Or we could end up stripping all her emotions—she would be nothing more than an empty husk of her former self! Or maybe—"

"Stop, we get it."

"C-Can those things really happen?" Inazuma asked.

"Who knows?" Charm shrugged as she glanced at the commander. "And I'm more worried about him. This is a two-way process, mind you. The human psyche is a delicate matter to mess with."

"Psyche, huh?" Akatsuki rubbed her chin. "So that's why..."

"Oho? Got your brain juices flowing, I see! Let me know what's on your head!"

"Urgh, just do your job so that we can finish early. I didn't rush back from the mainland for this kind of talk."

"Fine, fine. Kids these days are so impatient."

Inazuma looked at the cylindrical pod where Fumizuki's body was kept. Inside, the destroyer was spotless. She looked like a porcelain doll sealed in a sturdy display case that protected her from the outside world. Tiny blue spheres drifted lazily around her, disappearing the moment they touch her body. Inazuma could feel a familiar yet distant hint of energy as she placed a hand over the glass.

"Done!" Fermi peeked out from the tiny control room. "Ready when you are!"

The pod was brought inside a rectangular chamber. Charm entered the control room, donned her headset, and began hitting some levers. "Revving her up to living hell! Here we go!"

Four mechanical braces locked into the slots of the pod as the chamber hummed steadily. Blue orbs poured out as the glass covering of the pod slid open. Mag-ion energy was then concentrated into Fumizuki's body, forming a flickering, pulsing sphere. A bright light from within swallowed her silhouette and a huge outward burst shook the room's foundations.

Other than the subtle hissing of the exhaust units, everything fell silent once more as the pod was ejected from the chamber. Suddenly, Charm's cackling echoed in the room. "She liveeesss—ow! What was that for?!"

Fermi grumbled, keeping her voice low. "Jeez, learn to read the mood!"

Fumizuki opened her eyes and pulled herself up from the pod. Upon seeing the commander, she climbed down from the pod, stood straight, and saluted. "Hi! I'm Fumizuki, let's be friends!"

No one responded. The girl only returned their gazes with her own unabashed look. Inazuma couldn't hold her tears any longer as she latched on the ponytailed girl. "W-Welcome back, Fumizuki!"

"Err... did I stumble on a funeral or something? I don't get what's going on, but cheer up!"

Akatsuki let out a nervous laugh. "You're really something, you know?"

The commander smiled. "Welcome to the fleet, Fumizuki. Let's save the introductions for the dinner party later."

Fumizuki beamed back as she patted Inazuma's head. "Yay! Thank you, Commander!"


	4. White, Blue

**03—White, Blue**

* * *

Life in the headquarters could get demanding and unforgiving, but not because everyone was having a hard time with their daily tasks and obligations at hand. After all, they could only do a number of things in a single day. Making the most out of a fleet's routine schedule was very essential if they wish to gain optimal results. To Inazuma, the passage of time in a busy period could easily work against you. And if you weren't careful, you would find yourself buried beneath a mountain of assignments from different departments. She knew of the pitfalls very well, but she had her limits too.

At the moment, she felt like her mind was lagging behind with all the things that needed to be processed since yesterday. And yet, she could hardly feel any changes around her. Or if there was any to begin with. She would hear the passing of a fleet girl, only to see her at the mess hall in full health when the next day comes. But it would be too naive of her to think like that. A fleet girl brought to life would be different from her previous self in several ways. Her only regret was that she didn't have the chance to get to know Fumizuki to be able to distinguish those differences better. She was even convinced the other night that they would become good friends like Akatsuki and Hatsuyuki.

Fumizuki's previous life was pitifully short, but she at least had the opportunity to start anew.

And in this fresh start, Inazuma thought that they should celebrate it with smiles on their faces. It seemed that the commander was already a step ahead of her with the last-minute dinner party they had in the medical bay. Together with the weary officers and injured fleet girls, they shared a toast to everyone's efforts during the operation as they helped themselves with the food Commander Einrost had delivered from the late-night eateries in the port area. Everyone had fun despite of the hardships they experienced, but Inazuma knew there would be more hurdles and other challenges ahead of them. Still, it wouldn't hurt them to celebrate every now and then, would it?

She didn't need to coil herself in a series of self-loathing and regret. At least, not today.

But even beyond this seemingly unchanging environment, each day always came with little, subtle changes, turning each waking moment unique and special. Familiar patterns were a given, but needed variations were also bound to turn up in many interesting ways—for better or for worse. In any case, today would be quite a departure from the norm she knew so well. Nothing grand or special. Just... different.

Early in the morning, Inazuma, together with Akatsuki and the commander, went to attend an urgent meeting in the conference hall. They heard that Chief Officer Amagi needed to clarify a few things, as well as to announce new developments from the armory compound that he wanted to share to them. The latter part made everyone excited, speculations running about across the hall.

As they waited in their usual table, Inazuma borrowed the commander's terminal so that she could organize their schedule for today. She had considered once to purchase a similar unit, but its steep cost would only do more harm to the fleet's budget just for the sake of convenience. She had heard before that the Arsenal Management planned to update the terminals for fleet secretaries, but it wasn't yet decided if it would be a full-blown hardware revision or a hefty software upgrade. Not that she distrusted the commander, but it would be nice if she could monitor their resources and receive management-level updates in real time too.

And speaking of their budget, she also took this chance to check their current resource points.

Inazuma let out a sigh of relief. The penalties weren't as bad as she had anticipated. Still, it wouldn't be good for their fleet's integrity to take careless losses like this. Medical and repair bills weren't getting any cheaper after all.

Beside her, the commander settled in his seat for the second time after getting a carton of milk from the vending machine next to the doorway. He bought her some orange juice while Akatsuki had chilled coffee. Taking a sip of the juice, Inazuma noticed more people pouring into the room as time drew closer. Among them were the fleet girls they had rescued from the transport fleet. They seemed to be more relaxed when Inazuma last saw them—perhaps the meeting would go over the recent developments in the past few hours too? She wouldn't be holding her breath for that though.

When the meeting finally started, they discussed the various irregularities they gathered from yesterday's operation. Unlike the review last night, they focused on a different perspective this time as they studied the abyssal fleet's behavioral patterns and objective in greater detail. It didn't feel right and Inazuma certainly knew better. A certain aspect of their engagement against the enemy was lacking: the unbridled ferocity the abyssal fleet was known for since they made their presence known in the world.

In truth, this shouldn't surprise them. The Abyssals actively exhibited such discrepancies in the last couple of years, but what they experienced recently only made it more apparent. And the fact that most of the fatal casualties came from the task force members was nothing short of ironic... and depressing.

As it stands, cooperating with the Navy at the moment was a lost cause, so they would need all the information they could get their hands on and continue to work from there. Adding up the need to reorganize their countermeasure systems and procedures after the territorial breach, everything seemed to be an uphill climb from then on. Sure enough, the incident from yesterday instantly renewed their viewpoint on what these abyssal creatures were truly capable of, exposing how vulnerable the entirety of the Southern Cluster Isles was to enemy raids and such.

As if a response to these threats, the Chief Officer finally revealed what would be considered the highlight of the gathering:

Starting later afternoon, Class 2 Development Services would be available to all fleet commanders. No more forms and papers to fill up. No more waiting for approval from the management. No extra royalties. They only had to acquire the appropriate base module for the unit they wish to create and customize. Making this announcement sweeter than the juice Inazuma was chugging earlier, the Armory Management would be holding a limited-time promotion to all of their services later. The rather serious mood moments ago transformed into a holiday-like atmosphere.

And to conclude the session, he also announced that the Navy fleet girls they rescued yesterday were now assimilated by the Auspice Branch. Interested fleet commanders could send a request to the management department to enlist them in their unit before they get assigned elsewhere. After a few parting words from the Chief Officer, everyone was dismissed.

A familiar fleet girl approached them, her long black hair fluttering as she moved. "Starting today, I will be working alongside everyone in your unit." The fleet girl saluted. "Again, I'm the battleship Fusou. Thank you for having me."

"Heh. You weren't certainly kidding when you asked them for compensation," Akatsuki said, looking at the commander. "And a battleship too. How did you do it?"

Yawning, the commander shrugged. "I guess it helped that we don't have a capital ship in our fleet. I had my eyes on her the whole time, so I'm glad it worked out in the end."

Akatsuki turned to look at the battleship. "So, any particular reason why you agreed to join us?"

Fusou glanced over her shoulder. "The Chief Administrator himself offered this opportunity after the meeting ended last night. In exchange for the details we were asked to disclose for the investigation, the Security and Regulations Coalition took us under their wing. And as for the reason why, you know how things turned out yesterday."

"But I'm more amazed they let you go just like that. Aren't you guys carrying some classified info with you?"

"To be honest, we're mostly kept in the dark on the greater parts of the shipment. Even the fleet's CO doesn't know any better than us."

"In short, your transfer here won't compromise the intel they're desperately hiding," the commander said, tugging the hem of his beret. "But as long as the SRC's involved, we don't have anything to worry about them at least."

"Seems to be the norm over there these days," Akatsuki said, annoyance written all over her face. "They did toss me here for no good reason."

"But I'm glad that it happened," Inazuma said. "I wouldn't be able to meet you otherwise."

The purple-haired girl smiled. "Yeah, that's one way to look at it."

"I've been thinking about what that girl told me yesterday—the one you refer as Fumizuki." Fusou heaved a sigh. "She was right. I can't go on like this, that's why I've decided to return the favor and join your unit. Would you find some room to spare for my selfishness?"

"You're more than welcome, Miss Fusou," Inazuma said, smiling.

"Um, Fusou is fine," the battleship replied, her cheeks turning pink.

"After some digging, I found out that you were a vagrant fleet girl before you got enlisted about three months ago. And you were found approximately seven hundred ten nautical miles south of Fort Orion, if I remembered it right." The commander hovered a clenched fist over his mouth. "Did you notice anything... different when you were wandering around that region?"

Akatsuki narrowed her eyes. "That was... very specific."

It was a question that he would often ask to vagrant fleet girls too. Inazuma didn't mind as there were just a lot of things happening out in the sea lately and it wouldn't hurt to be extra careful.

Fusou contemplated on it for a bit. "I... I don't remember anything unusual while I was out there. I would often run into abyssal ships—most of them were scout units doing their rounds near the islands I used to stay in with the others."

Inazuma tilted her head. "Others?"

"Fellow vagrants," Akatsuki replied. "You'll have better chances of surviving in the open seas that way."

"And I'm not certain if this would be of interest," Fusou said, "but I saw a convoy of ships heading further south once."

"What could that mean? I find it hard to believe that the Navy actually managed to set up another outpost deep into enemy territory."

"They're too far away for me to identify their flag and affiliation." The battleship cast her eyes to the floor. "I... I'm sorry I couldn't help you more with it."

The commander shook his head. "It's exactly what I wanted to hear. Thank you."

She left her mouth slightly open for a moment. Then, she smiled. "Is that so? I'm relieved."

"Forget about that. At least we now have a battleship." Akatsuki extended her hand. "Fusou, we're counting on you."

Hesitating, the battleship took the destroyer's hand and nodded. "Thank you very much. I'll do what I can to be of use in this fleet."

"We'll be going to check on the others next. Care to join us?"

"Yes. I want to introduce myself properly to everyone. I hope they don't mind."

"Don't worry about it," the commander said.

They left the conference hall and visited the rehabilitation quarters next. As they entered through the double doors, Fumizuki waved at them from the other end of the spacious room. Sendai and Jintsuu sat together on a couch next to the large window while Hatsuyuki settled on her bed.

Horrible images forced to resurface within Inazuma's mind and she fought back with all of her willpower. Despite the nauseous feeling that was starting to creep on her, she somehow felt relieved as well. She didn't know that it was possible, but it was certainly a strange sensation. Seeing her friends doing well was the most important thing she could ever ask for.

Looking tense, Fusou walked up to them introduced herself. Everyone responded in kind, except for one who had her undivided attention on the game she was playing.

"Hatsuyuki, shouldn't you be resting right now?" Akatsuki yanked the game console out of Hatsuyuki's hands. She turned around, wagging the device at the commander. "Seriously, stop pampering her!"

Taking the device, the commander made a sideward glance. "My fault again, huh?"

She returned her attention to black-haired destroyer. "Well?" she said, gesturing at Fusou.

Not moving an inch of herself, Hatsuyuki cast an empty stare on her blanket. Her eyes were glazed over.

"Hatsuyuki? Are you okay?" the commander asked.

"Ha-Hatsuyuki... nice to meet you." She pulled the blanket over her head and remained motionless.

Akatsuki sighed. "What happened to her? And here I thought she's past that childish stage already."

"Give her some time," the commander said with a stern expression on his face. "Know your limits too, Akatsuki."

"A-Ah, my bad." She turned her attention to the cruisers. "How about you two?"

Sendai puffed her chest out. "Better than that miserable excuse of a cupcake they served earlier! For serious, who thought it was a great idea to serve those things to their patients?"

Akatsuki pointed at her. "Hey, you have some nerve to disappear at a crucial time."

"Cut me some slack." Sendai grinned. "I'll have you know that I wasn't loafing around before I caught wind of the raid."

"You weren't in the island?" She turned to the commander. "I don't remember you giving her clearance when I left the other day."

"I had an errand to ask of her and it happened on a short notice," he replied.

"Errand?" Inazuma frowned. "Why didn't you tell me about it?"

He looked away. "I just had her deliver a parcel to a satellite island. You shouldn't concern yourself about it."

On second thought, she should have known better. "Hmph. If you say so."

"Don't give me that face."

"The fairy nurses told us to stay here for a while. For one more day at the very least," Jintsuu said. "I'm sorry that we can't resume our operations sooner."

Three more fleet girls entered the room—Musashi, Asashio, and Akatsuki. Their colorful patterned yukatas caught everyone's attention. But upon seeing Musashi, most of them shrunk back to their respective partitions. The battleship nodded as her eyes met with Inazuma. "How do you do? I hope we came at a good time."

Inazuma approached them and bowed. "Good morning. Did you come to visit us?"

"Yes," the ponytailed Akatsuki replied, "we grew tired of listening to the news back at home, so we decided to check on the situation here personally. And we're worried about everyone too."

Inazuma led the new arrivals to the others. After she introduced them to everyone, the ponytailed Akatsuki handed over a basket full of fruits. Most of them were mangoes, causing Inazuma's mouth to water._ No, bad Inazuma! These are given as a get well gift to the injured!_

"Worry not," Musashi said, indicating the other larger basket Asashio had been carrying. "There's plenty for everybody else. That one's yours to keep."

"Err, you mean," the yukata-clad Akatsuki said, "it's for her fleet, right?"

Musashi blinked. "That's what I just said."

"It's not."

The other fleet girls in the room cheered as they gathered around Asashio, who handed out bundles of mangoes. The battleship rested a hand on the windowsill, gazing at the landscape outside. "Yesterday's operation was stressful, I've heard."

"It wouldn't be this stressful if the Navy weren't around to mess everything up!" someone shouted from the opposite corner of the room.

It was Murakumo.

Fumizuki nodded, caressing a mango against her face. "Yeah, I wish I was there too!" An awkward silence followed, causing her to pucker her lips. "You guys sure love to pick on the newbie. At least I have Luna to keep me company."

Waving her tiny arms in the air, the fairy struggled against the destroyer's grasp. "Uwah! Please not too tight!"

"Oh, sorry."

"Umm, so anyway." Akatsuki faced the battleship and saluted. "Meeting you in the flesh is nerve-racking. It's an honor to meet you."

The battleship waved a hand. "Drop the pleasantries. There's no need to be formal."

"So, um, can I have a request? I might not get another chance at this."

Musashi's eyes began to dart left and right. "If it's a reasonable one, like an autograph or a picture, then—"

"No, I want to have a practice match with you."

As soon as those words escaped her mouth, most of the room's occupants voiced their surprise altogether.

"Oh? You wish to fight me?" Musashi's lips formed a smile. Her eyes shone an unusual glint. "Very well. I shall indulge in your request."

"Y-You will? Thank you very—"

Nagatsuki suddenly shoved her aside. "W-Wait! Me too! Can I?"

"Such enthusiastic girls you are," the battleship said, nodding. "You may join us."

"What? I should've expected such brutish behavior," Akatsuki said as she flicked her hair. "Unfortunately for you, I issued the challenge first. You can wait for your turn another day."

"But you see," Nagatsuki said as she placed a hand on Inazuma's shoulder, "I was almost close in redeeming my flan coupon from Inazuma last night. I'm glad I didn't, because she will convince you to eat those words right now!"

"What are you blabbering on about?"

The green-haired girl stuck her tongue out. "Inazuma's on my side, so you can't refuse!"

It took Inazuma a moment, but the realization finally hit her. "Eh?! I thought that was—"

"Wh-What? Is that true?" When Inazuma nodded, Akatsuki gritted her teeth. "Tch, fine. Only for this time, got it?"

Asashio sighed, shaking her head. "Even though you already know that you have no chance of winning," she said. "I have no idea where all your enthusiasm's coming from."

"We'll see about that."

"Um... you shouldn't trouble Miss Musashi too much," Inazuma said.

"What is this flan coupon about?" the commander asked.

Inazuma smirked. "You shouldn't concern yourself on something this small, Commander. It's nothing special."

His eyelid twitched slightly. "You're gonna play that game, huh?"

"You started it."

* * *

Still riding on the festive mood earlier, Akatsuki and Nagatsuki dragged them to the launch bay's outskirts. Inazuma figured that it was fine as long as no one would be bothered with it. In fact, a few of the visiting fleet girls followed as well, curious to see the match themselves. A coast guard unit was kind enough to lend them a patrol boat so that everyone could get the front-row seat of the action.

While the commander wasn't certainly against the idea, Commander Colette was worried that her secretary was overstepping lines and boundaries that they might regret later. Reluctant as she sounded, she didn't want to leave Nagatsuki alone either. And thus, she had no choice but to steel herself and come along with them.

Finishing their preparations, the three participants hopped to the water and created some distance between them. Musashi summoned her main unit structure, expanding around her body in seconds. Unlike the two destroyers, her primary and secondary gun mounts were kept in standby mode. She held up two cards. And in a flash of silver light, two light-caliber turrets appeared on each of her forearms. "I'll be only using these in our match."

Nagatsuki stretched her right arm. "A handicap, huh?"

"That's fine—I don't want to get obliterated by your standard batteries anyway," Akatsuki said. "We're ready."

The battleship parted her legs as she raised her arms in front of her. "The first move is yours."

The destroyer pair exchanged looks for the last time before they launched themselves in two separate arcs towards the battleship. Nagatsuki was the first to open fire as she closed in to Musashi's starboard side. The battleship hopped a distance backwards, dodging the first salvo by a hair. Another wave of shells forced her to move, but Akatsuki had already closed in from her blindside.

Making a sharp turn, Musashi fired at the fast approaching destroyer. The shell struck nothing as Akatsuki sprang into the air, her pair of torpedo launchers aimed at the battleship. "Bombs away!"

Arms spread, she dropped her payload onto her target. The torpedoes went off at once, releasing a purple surge amidst the smoky muddle. The combined power of the blasts sent a shockwave that rocked boats and toppled buoys nearby.

Akatsuki landed with a splash, brushing a few strands of hair off her face. "First strike, success!"

"I can't believe it worked," Nagatsuki said, grinning. "But just to be sure..."

The green-haired destroyer also emptied her torpedo mounts, clearing out the smoke with a wall of seawater. Waves in the area swelled once more.

"They're going all-out already?" Asashio said. "Well, it doesn't matter. They need to do better than that."

Patting her scorched vest, Musashi only stood as the water settled all over her. "Impressive."

Nagatsuki shrugged. "Well, no surprise there."

"Looks like we need to hit harder," Akatsuki said.

"Now, it's my turn." Musashi crouched down as she closed her eyes.

"Uh-oh," the ponytailed Akatsuki said. "They better be ready for that one."

Ripples began to fluctuate beneath the battleship, slowly expanding until they reached the destroyers. Even from afar, Inazuma felt a hint of mag-ion energy emanating from the Musashi, pulsing in a subtle and controlled manner. She didn't know if she was just imagining it, but the waves and the sea breeze in the immediate area were also becoming rougher. As if sensing her unease, Akatsuki and Nagatsuki launched more shells towards the battleship. Smoke clouds grew larger in each hit, only accentuated by the dull flickering of flames and embers.

A bright flash broke through the mass of smoke, flying straight to Nagatsuki. The destroyer evaded the first shot, but it left her open for Musashi to land a clean hit with her foot. The sweeping kick sent Nagatsuki sliding across the surface, cleaving the water in half with the powerful strike. Meanwhile, Akatsuki took the chance to land close shots behind Musashi. But before she could pull out and regain distance, the battleship emerged from her gray shroud as she thrust her palm forward. Akatsuki ducked as she went full reverse. Determined to catch up, Musashi launched herself to the destroyer.

Her stunning speed caught Akatsuki off guard as she smacked the destroyer's stomach with an open palm. The attack sent Akatsuki into the murky sky, but Musashi wasn't done just yet. A circular spark of white energy erupted from the battleship's gun as she fired at her soaring target. Her aim was true, engulfing Akatsuki in a wide explosion. However, the strong feedback caused her turret to explode shortly after she had pulled the trigger. Musashi simply recalled the turret and pushed her glasses up her nose, trailing Akatsuki's plummeting form with her eyes.

The destroyer plunged into the water headfirst with a tall splash. As the waves settled, all was quiet once more.

"She's done," Asashio said. "She tried at least."

Inazuma, on the verge of panicking, tried to contact the purple-haired girl through her comm link and all she could hear from the other end was muffled static. "Akatsuki!" She started to climb over the guardrail, but the commander grabbed her arm. His grip was unnaturally strong and unyielding. "Commander?! Akatsuki is—"

"...Just getting warmed up."

Numerous bubbles appeared where Akatsuki sunk. A second later, she leapt back to the surface as if she just had broken out of her watery grave. With a single sweep of her hand, she tore her damaged, soaked blouse away before picking up her cap and gun mount floating nearby. Her confident, relaxed look on her face had vanished as she stared at her opponent.

Inazuma breathed in deeply, then sighed. The commander was right; Akatsuki wouldn't be beaten so easily like that.

"Good." Musashi smiled. "I got worried there to be honest."

Securing her hat with her free hand, Akatsuki returned the smile as an intense purple hue enveloped her frame. "You'll be in for a surprise then."

As she said that, huge torrents consumed the battleship. Akatsuki propelled herself towards Musashi as she fired her shoulder turret. Bursting out of the watery screen, the battleship took the explosive shells and flew straight to Akatsuki. As her fist connected to the destroyer's forearm plating, an intense yet satisfying crash rattled the vicinity. The water around them swelled outwards, forming a large cavity. Neither of them disengaged as they traded a quick exchange of blows, mostly with Musashi on the offensive. Akatsuki was no slouch either as she held her ground, parrying each strike with her plating while nimbly dodging the rest of the attacks.

Commander Colette gasped. "A-Amazing! Using her Overdrive, Akatsuki's really keeping up with Musashi!"

"Th-That's probably because she likes to spar with Murakumo and Miss Bismarck," Inazuma said. _But, somehow, she's more aggressive than usual today. I wonder why?_

"I... I'm not that surprised anymore after hearing that."

Musashi initiated another follow up as she stepped forward. At the last second, Akatsuki veered hard to the side, sneaking her forearm turret through the battleship's defenses. She fired twice, but the shells didn't do any visual damage. Still, the momentary distraction gave Nagatsuki time for her to execute a perfect drop kick onto Musashi's side. The battleship staggered, disrupting her aim on Akatsuki. She followed through with a quick chopping strike, but Nagatsuki was quicker with her reverse handflip before she shot the water between them. The upward surge gave the green-haired destroyer enough time to dash away, evading Musashi's shells by a narrow margin.

Seizing this chance, Akatsuki stepped in again for a point-blank shot. Her shell struck one of the battleship's starboard batteries, but Musashi spun as she grabbed the destroyer's arm and flung her towards Nagatsuki who was about to fire her turret. The destroyers crashed into each other, tumbling away as if their limbs were tangled together. Eventually, they stopped at a distance while Inazuma could hear them groan over the comm link.

Akatsuki pushed against the surface to get on her feet. Her frame slowly became hazy as the purple glow surrounding her had dissipated. "Jeez, this is like scooping up frozen ice cream with a plastic spoon."

"Hey, are you okay?" Nagatsuki asked. "You're steaming!"

"An excellent observation—I wouldn't be able to notice that otherwise." She rubbed the buildup of vapor off her arm. "That aside, I can still go. How about you?"

"Oh, you're kidding. I just hope you can keep up with us."

Inazuma knew that Akatsuki reached her limit—her mag-ion reserves had plummeted and she wouldn't probably withstand another strong attack. She looked at the commander, expecting him to call the match off anytime soon. "Hm, wouldn't it be dangerous if she got hit again?" he asked. "Akatsuki, I mean."

Inazuma smiled. She was glad that he understood her feelings well. "Yes. I don't want her to strain herse—"

"No... I mean, I don't think her undershirt's going to hold on for long."

She yelped as she reactivated her comm link. "A-Akatsuki! Your shirt!"

A shell whizzed near the purple-haired girl's head, causing her to fall on her bottom. "Ow! Inazuma, that's more distracting than helpful!" She pointed at the battleship as she got up again. "And hey, not in the face!"

"It's taking me a lot of time to calibrate the power of my shots." Musashi knocked on her forearm turret. "I'm losing my touch, it seems."

"No, Miss Musashi! You're doing great!" Asashio said.

The purple-haired destroyer tied the broken ends of her shirt's strap together. "This should do for now. Where were we?"

Musashi was about to move again when she suddenly deployed the barrels of her batteries.

"What's wrong?" Akatsuki asked.

"Did I... just imagine it?" Musashi said. "No, it was very faint, but it's definitely close."

Nagatsuki glanced left and right. "The area's saturated, but I think I've felt it too."

"It will take a while for the mag-ion levels to recede. Strain your senses and let's sweep the area." Musashi looked at the spectators aboard the patrol boat. "Some of you should equip anti-submarine weaponry, just in case."

"There's nothing out of the ordinary around us though."

"Wait—there!" The battleship's battery roared as it released an intense amount of energy, causing the water beneath her to warp and buckle. The shells detonated at the far left, creating a fiery haze from the surface.

Inazuma could barely make out of a flickering outline, but it was definitely there. The figure started to materialize for everyone to see.

Fierce blue eyes. Short pink hair. Stylish uniform. There was no mistaking it. "That... Shiranui?" Yuudachi uttered behind her.

The pink-haired fleet girl stood up and disappeared once more, but she didn't bother covering her tracks this time. She made her way past Musashi at high speed. Akatsuki and Nagatsuki chased after her.

"No you don't!" Akatsuki pitched her anchor, latching into Shiranui's core structure. Nagatsuki grabbed on the chain as the two of them pulled the runaway destroyer back.

Deactivating her camouflage, Shiranui turned as she aimed her turret at the two destroyers. The pair dodged out the projectiles' path, prompting Musashi to finally move. With a single jerk on the chain, Shiranui was taken off her feet as she flew towards Musashi. The battleship caught her, lifting her from the waist before she could escape. Shiranui didn't resist at that point. Her limbs became loose and relaxed.

"That was... I've never seen anything like it before," Inazuma said.

"Her optical camouflage module? I'd find it strange if you did," the commander said. "But... I thought they discontinued those a few years back."

"That's, like, the greatest thing!" Yuudachi said. "We'll need to try that out!"

"It's quite pointless when you fleet girls can detect mag-ion signatures off the bat. And it's power-hungry too, so they never expanded on developing the tech for it."

"Boo, that sucks. Won't it be nice to have during scout missions?"

"Frankly, it's the last module you'll ever bring in any low-profile missions."

"Double boo."

Colette nodded. "See? That's why we need to think about Class 2 development carefully."

Musashi brought the destroyer to the patrol boat. And when Shiranui was released, everyone gathered around her. Upon closer inspection, she had the Naval Domain's emblem pinned on her vest. She also had a camera hanging from her neck.

Crossing her arms, the battleship leaned on the guardrail. "Explain yourself."

"Yeah. What's your deal sneaking up on us like that?" Nagatsuki asked. "Good thing she didn't blow you to bits, you know?"

Shiranui closed her eyes. "Your concerns are misplaced," she replied. "I am simply observing your exercise as part of my research. I can take care of myself just fine."

Akatsuki rolled her eyes. "Can't you just watch like any normal person would?"

The pink-haired destroyer glanced at Musashi before standing up. "If there aren't any problems, then I should be going—"

"You folks there," a crewman said, poking his head out of the bridge's window. "Our scanner's gettin' a load of noise. We're tryin' to get around it, but we can't shake off whatever's doin' it. Can you give us a hand while we sort this out?"

"Ugh, more? What's the meaning of this?" Akatsuki glared at Shiranui, who remained calm and unbothered.

Musashi suggested to scan the area again and everyone quickly got to work.

Inazuma brought out a card and focused her energy on it. In a few moments, a fairy materialized on her palm. Relaying the situation with her mind, she requested the fairy to pick up any suspicious signatures in the area. The fairy acknowledged her order as she began tinkering on a tiny, rotating radar dish. After a while, she turned her head with a frown on her face. Yuudachi and the others, combing the area with sonar equipment, reported the same result as well.

Few more minutes passed before Inazuma and the other fleet girls regrouped and boarded the boat. They didn't find anything that could be causing interference to the patrol boat's onboard scanner. They even contacted fleet girl units nearby and outside the island's territorial waters, but all of them reported negative on any unusual activity in their respective sectors.

"Maybe the equipment's already faulty?" Nagatsuki said.

"Naw, that can't be it," the crewman replied. "This hunter was just refurbished last year with new hardware."

"What a mystery." Yuudachi brought out a black cube from her skirt pocket. "And speaking of mysteries, I found this weird thingy stuck on the bow."

At first glance, the small cube almost looked like an insect of some kind with its LED indicator for eyes and silver braces as legs. They also noticed that it was emitting a low buzzing noise for some reason. It was definitely a strange device. The blonde destroyer prodded it with her forefinger. "Isn't this, like, one of those bug drones they're showing on TV?"

Colette's eyes widened. "Whaa... isn't that a—"

"Kh—crush it, Yuudachi," the commander said. "Now."

Startled, the blonde-haired fleet girl clenched her hand. As she did it the second time, bluish sparks flew between her fingers.

"It seems that the close-proximity jammer's working as intended." Shiranui brought out a small notepad and a pen. "While its limited use isn't efficient and worthwhile in practical scenarios, the data collected from the devices should be beneficial in—"

"Oh, that's it," Akatsuki said, jabbing a finger at her. "You're coming with us!"

Dragging Shiranui back to headquarters, they found out that she was a fleet girl under Commodore Minako, a Navy officer who was recently conducting field reviews and intelligence work in the island. In line with her unit's activities, the members were granted limited clearance to survey the base at their discretion. But carrying electronic jammers on her person weren't helping her case.

Without an ounce of hesitation in her voice, the pink-haired destroyer declared that she was merely doing field test for the devices and modules she had with her. And if the Auspice Branch's fleet girls were truly competent in their jobs, she would trust that they would effectively handle any complications that may arise at any given moment. Standing up from her seat, she handed her camera to Akatsuki. "Take a look."

Inazuma and the others gathered around Akatsuki as she shuffled through the pictures on the viewfinder.

"If you wish to acquire copies, just say the word."

Her forthright attitude was almost too bright to look at. Everybody else could only stand there in stunned silence. To go all that trouble just to take pictures of the practice match was equally ridiculous and amazing. Well, more on the latter for Inazuma.

Since she didn't do anything particularly harmful to anyone, she was let off with only a warning. Still, Akatsuki didn't look convinced. When she went back to question her, Shiranui had already disappeared. Everyone quickly lost interest, so they didn't bother to look for her. Perhaps it was for the best; Inazuma couldn't shake the feeling that they might end up in trouble if they pushed her in a corner again.

Switching their gears away from that matter, they agreed on taking their lunch together in the mess hall. The competitive spirit from earlier didn't seem to disappear. And after a full hour of homely food and cheery banter, they went into their separate ways for the rest of the day.

As for Inazuma's unit, they dropped by the crowded factory next.

Passing through the swarm of people, their usual custodian led them to a room next to the conception hall. As the door slid open, they stepped into the dimly lit room. Further in was a rectangular table that ran across to roughly half of the room's width. Other than the file drawer sitting in a corner, the room's interior was quaint and small. It suddenly made sense when Inazuma finally noticed two small figures on the table.

"Welcome, brave adventurers. I've been expecting you since—"

"Uh, what are you doing here?" Akatsuki pointed at Charm. "Shouldn't you be at the conception hall right now?"

"Non non non! After Chief Amagi had us open the floodgates, I knew you folks would come here."

"You were waiting for us?"

"Yup." She looked at Fusou. "And hey, a new party member? Nice to meetcha!"

Fusou bowed. "Good day."

"Hey, don't steal my precious screen time!" Fermi pinched Charm's cheek. "You'll have your moment after I'm done!"

"Fine." Charm slapped her hand away. "You'll just take their order anyway."

"So, you heard her." Fermi held a remote in her hand, pointing it at them. "Anything you have in mind? I can show you a few prototype templates to get you started."

The commander and Akatsuki exchanged looks and nodded. Returning their gesture, the fairy pressed some buttons on her remote. Inazuma heard a humming sound and the wall beside her shuddered. The unassuming gap on the wall began to split up, exposing its hidden compartments. An excited gasp came out of the purple-haired girl.

Handguns, rifles, launchers, grenades—conventional infantry weapons occupied the left side of the partition. On the other side had swords, spears, and other close-quarters articles displayed.

Akatsuki skimmed through the selection, turning around when she was done. "First things first: we need a shield unit, please."

"A shield, huh? That's boring!" Charm said. "Why not go for a particle accelerator module? Or a multi-missile launcher? Melee weapons are a popular choice too! There's this one gal who ordered this huge energy blade that can slice up a car in a single swing!"

"Inazuma's going to use it." She held a short sword on both of its ends. "By the way, how far can we customize these things?"

"As far as your imagination can take you," Fermi replied. "But the restrictions should be obvious since we're using C1 items as base."

"Hmm, do you have a catalog we can use as reference?"

"The team's working on one. We launched this service a week earlier than scheduled, so we're working double-time to iron things out! I mean, we really lucked out this time since the first shipment of abussosium alloys were brought here via airlift!"

"This is going to be a tough choice. There's just too many to consider."

"Is that all? The first one's on the house, but you guys might fancy another."

"A-Ah, umm—" Akatsuki returned the sword and glanced at the commander. "I… think that's all for now."

Her voice faltered. Inazuma sensed a hint of disappointment from her tone.

"Shield it is then?" Fermi walked back to her table and sat behind a small computer. "Okay, lemme work on it right now."

"You wanted one too, right?" the commander asked. "I don't mind if—"

"Th-That can wait!"

"You sure?"

"D-Don't make me repeat myself. A fleet girl of my standing can do without those items. Y-Yes, that's right! And a thoughtful, caring sister figure would never put herself ahead of her younger siblings. It's only natural for me to know my priorities!"

"Uh... your body is betraying your words," Charm said. "You look more excited than the girl who's going to use it."

"Sh-Shut it, you!"

The commander sighed. "Fermi, I'm placing another order. I'll leave it up to her on what she wants to make."

"R-Really?! Uhh... I mean, h-how generous of you. With the way things are right now, you left me no choice but to accept your offer!" Akatsuki breathed in, her cheeks bright red. "B-But I need time to organize everything first. This sort of matter shouldn't be rushed, yes?"

Inazuma smiled. "Good for you, Akatsuki."

"I'll forge the weapon of your dreams, no problem!" Fermi said. "But I should say right now that the overall form and aesthetics of your C2 items are completely up to yours truly. I wanna have my artistic touch in there, so you'll remember the genius who made your sweet, shiny gear every time you look at it!"

The excitement on Akatsuki's face vanished. "How does that even—I thought these things are fully customizable!"

"Hey, I take pride in my creations! You can always have their appearance changed when you got the cash to spare."

"Wh-What?! That's not fair at all!"

"Enough of that, it's my turn now!" Charm said. "Since your unit has been helping me in my case studies and experiments lately, I want to express my gratitude by giving you something nice for once."

Calming down, the purple-haired girl just shook her head and sighed. She opened a packet of energy gumdrops and popped one in her mouth. "You're just buttering us up, aren't you?" she said

Fusou looked at her. "Buttering... up?"

"Let's hear it," the commander said.

Nodding, the fairy presented two velvet boxes, almost as large as herself, and opened their lids. Each box accommodated a silver ring with dark blue highlights. The pair of rings gleamed and flickered as they reflected the lights from the compartment displays.

"My, how beautiful," the battleship said.

Using her free hand, Akatsuki took a box as she inspected the ring inside. "I'm... impressed. For a freebie, it doesn't look cheap at all."

"Don't treat it like some knockoff giveaway!" Charm cleared her throat. "Anyway, it's form-fitting, so everyone can wear it! Try it on!"

"If you insist, then I can help you with it."

"Not you." The fairy pointed at Inazuma and the commander. "You two wear them."

"Why me?" he asked.

"Well, why _not_? I'm sure you'll find this interesting too, so don't be a party pooper now!" Charm held up a palm. "Wait. Wear it on your ring finger. Left or right, it doesn't matter."

Inazuma tilted her head. "Ring finger?"

"I think it's this." Akatsuki indicated said finger with her other hand.

Charm snickered. "Hm, I'm surprised you know."

"Someone like me should know—" Akatsuki gasped, blushing. "W-Why are you making them wear those?"

"Sample data—for science and the greater good! Sorry to disappoint though, that particular pair is unlike any of the others."

She let out a sigh of relief. "D-Don't scare me like that!"

As she was done securing the ring, Inazuma stretched out her arm and admired her right hand. "It feels weird. I think I can get used to this," she said, looking at the commander's hand. "Ah, they're a match!"

"Hmm... sure is."

"What's wrong, Commander?"

"Nothing." He turned to the fairy. "You seem very eager to give these to us and I'm sure it's not a giveaway that you're handing out for today's promotion. What do they do, exactly?"

"Perceptive as always—that's why I like you!" Charm raised her index finger. "That ring is a magical trinket that power ups anyone who wears it!"

"An auxiliary enhancer then?"

"Really?" Akatsuki launched a disapproving look towards the fairy. "Quit that nonsense."

"What? It's true," Charm said. "I'm serious about this project of mine."

"Then how does it work?"

"Magic, duh!"

Akatsuki's right eye twitched. "Commander, permission to shoot the fairy."

"That's one way for us to get sacked and thrown into the gutter," he replied.

"Hmph, it can't be that bad."

Charm held up her hands. "Okay, since you wanted to know that badly, I'll be specific: it's an item that bridges the souls of two individuals. Everything else is just secondary to what I'm trying to achieve here."

Akatsuki's eyebrows crossed. "That makes even less sense. Are you making fun of us?"

The fairy sighed. "This whole concept of bonds and kinship isn't completely new, mind you." She pointed at the commander. "Your handlers are the prime example of that."

"Bonds?" Fusou mumbled. "Acquaintances. Friends. Family."

"But what I have in mind is something beyond the norm—a deeper affinity between two souls. An unshakable bond that can brave through the roughest seas!"

"Something deeper?" the commander asked. "Sounds a bit... nebulous."

Akatsuki nodded. "Right? Is there even such thing?"

"All conjectures, I know," Charm said, "but that's why I want to figure out the nitty-gritty details of my hypothesis!"

"And you claim that it can enhance the abilities of a fleet girl?" Fusou asked. "In a way that surpasses our physical limits?"

"Not the limit-breaking kind. We're tapping on the same power but a different source, so to speak." Charm paced for a moment. She folded her arms on her chest. "Hey, do you believe that everyone's fate is intertwined in some way? Interconnected like a vast, encompassing web?"

The commander nodded. "We do live in a world of causality."

"Yes. Tug a single thread and everything else in its vicinity will be pulled along with it. Can you imagine how much power fate has over us?"

"Fate... it is what decides the path we need to take," the battleship said. "I think I understand..."

Akatsuki's face soured. "But what we do in our lives is completely up to us," she said. "Nothing good will happen to you if you don't work for it."

"Akatsuki..."

Now conscious of the secretary's worried expression, she gave her a smile. "Sorry. I'm fine, Inazuma."

"Sheesh, I was getting to that," Charm said, nodding. "Yes, we have control and leeway when we narrow it down to the individual level. But if we completely interweave a single thread to another, we'll be able to create a stronger, more resilient thread! Still following me?"

Akatsuki rubbed her chin. "Is it related to the whole psyche thing you like to prattle on about?"

"A major component, yes. Its core foundation, however, focuses on interpersonal connections."

"But on the other hand," the commander said, "that would also double the rate of failure and misfortune. There's no telling if it will do more good than harm."

"Of course, but even that hardly matters when the variables involved are always shifting like the ocean waves." Charm balled up her hands with an eager look on her face. "We're utilizing a fraction of that power for us to use. And after all, two is better than one and milk chocolate is better than dark chocolate!"

"How will it translate to the boost we want to achieve here? This is all on the metaphysical level, right?"

"Oh, you don't have to be so meticulous in the tiniest details. Believe me when I say that it extends beyond that."

"I see. It does add up, considering its nature."

"I'm sure you knew that fleet girls don't pull their powers out of thin air. As I said, this is one of the many sources fleet girls can use to achieve greater heights!"

"Um, Commander," Inazuma said, pressing her cheek with her forefinger. "I don't get it."

Fusou wore a disappointed expression. "I'm lost as well."

"Just to get to the point," Charm said, "the closer you are to your subordinate, the stronger she'll get! Like I've mentioned before, it's no different to what the Peacekeepers have been doing since it was founded. We're just expanding our options here."

"It sounds so convenient." Akatsuki crossed her arms. "What's the catch? I mean, won't it affect her health or performance in battles?"

"Nothing I can think of! We'll figure that out when it happens!"

"Stop treating us like lab rats."

Charm clapped twice. "Anyway, let us commence the ritual!"

"Ritual?"

"Is it some kind of ceremony?" Fusou asked.

The fairy nodded. "It's a simple one really—without the candles, chanting, and livestock blood." She raised her hand, clenching it. "For starters, fist bump with each other!"

A moment of silence was spent to digest what they had just heard from the fairy. Akatsuki's eyelid twitched. "Fist bump? What kind of cheap ritual is that?"

Charm covered her ears. "Lalala! Your opinion isn't a factor!" She coughed once. "So yeah, just do it. I wanna see the fruits of my labor or whatever."

Inazuma giggled, raising her clenched hand. "I'm excited."

"Wouldn't hurt to try," the commander said. "Here goes."

A faint clink was heard as they performed the gesture. Several seconds of anticipation passed.

They waited, and waited some more.

Some more awkward seconds pass, still nothing came about. Somehow, this didn't seem to discourage the fairy.

"I had a feeling this would happen," Akatsuki said. "I won't even call this anticlimactic. This is just sad."

Inazuma placed a hand on her chest. "My heart's beating fast though."

"That's probably just placebo."

"Commander, what's wrong?" she asked.

"It's stuck," he replied, shaking his hand a bit.

She laughed as she began tugging on the ring. "Come on, Commander... I won't fall for—Hawa?! M-Mine's stuck too!"

"That's odd," Charm said. "Did it clamp itself too tight? Maybe I should have considered its prerequisites first before... hmm, no use beating yourself over the past, yeah!"

"You're making it very obvious with that maniac smile of yours," Akatsuki said. "What did you do now?!"

The fairy's grin turned upside down. "Why are you so quick to point your finger at me?"

"You made those!"

Fermi looked up from her computer. "I have some squeaky greasy grease you can use in my toolbox," she said. "Wanna borrow it?"

Charm waved a hand next to her face. "Eh, you guys are making a huge fuss over it. It's not like it'll suck all of your blood out or anything similarly grotesque. Do sue me if it does transmute you into some random freaky sea monster."

"U-Um, what should we do?" Inazuma asked, still yanking the silver band.

"Just send me a report if something weird comes up. Who knows, it might turn out to be a great learning experience for everyone!"

"Can someone help this fairy get out of her head?" Akatsuki said.

The secretary happened to glance at the digital clock next to Fermi's desk. "Ah… Commander, it's almost time!"

"Yeah, I know," he said. "You two can go wait somewhere else. We won't take long."

Charm shrugged as she sat behind her table. "Going already? Too soon, but it can't be helped. Don't forget to report to me about those rings, you hear?"

"Since when did we become your assistants?" Akatsuki replied.

"Akatsuki, drop by any time so we can start on that order of yours," Fermi said. "I'm getting this feeling that you'll strangle the life out of me if I get too ahead of myself. Oh, you too Inazuma."

"Ah, Commander will help me with it." the secretary bowed. "Thank you."

* * *

While Fusou and the commander had to report to the management office, Inazuma had paperwork to sort out. They went their separate ways as they entered the headquarters' main building. Akatsuki, left with nothing to do at that moment, had decided to accompany her. She seemed visibly exhausted despite having those gumdrops since lunch. When asked about it, she would only give Inazuma an offhand response as she redirects the topic elsewhere. Needless to say, she wasn't convincing anyone.

As they went their way back to the executive wing, they noticed a few fleet girls moving in furniture two rooms past the commander's office. Room 315, to be exact.

The fleet girl dressed in red and white was keeping watch in the hallway while her friends carried the vintage-looking articles through the door. When she noticed the pair, the brunette skipped towards them with a wide smile on her face. "Hey, neighbors!" she said, handing out a small envelope to Akatsuki. We'll be waiting, so please consider our invitation!"

Without waiting for a response, she twirled once and returned to her business. The two of them did the same and entered their office without a word. Inazuma wanted everything done before dinnertime too, so she plopped down on her makeshift table next to the commander's spot and started early.

She laid out the documents she had printed out in advance from the info counter. Afterwards, she began to organize them together with the leftovers last night, filling up the blank ones as she examined the papers one by one. While this task could get tedious after a while, she had to be extra careful not to overlook anything. She didn't want to mess up her rhythm or she would have to backtrack and check the previous papers again.

She would happen to glance at her ring every now and then. It was a good thing that it didn't get in the way of her work. Still, she wondered if it could really enhance her abilities like Charm told them.

In the midst of her idle mulling, Inazuma sensed something. It was familiar, yet far-off. She had this vague inkling that she should recognize it, but her mind couldn't come up with a straight answer no matter how hard she concentrated. Growing desperate, she tried to connect herself to the distant power, but it didn't respond back. It was as if a shadowy entity behind the power was observing her from afar, taking actions on her every move.

There was no helping it.

Just when she decided to give up, a surge of power shot through her being. At the next second, her hand glowed a soft pink light. She began to panic.

"Inazuma, what's wrong?" Akatsuki asked as she left the bathroom.

"A-Akatsuki?! My body is—!" She looked down and the soft light had disappeared. "H-Huh? What happened?"

"H-Hey, are you alright?"

Nodding, Inazuma glanced at the ring. "W-Weird. I thought it worked..."

"I swear, if something bad happens to you, I'm going to feed her to the shredder. Then, to those hand-eating carps in the fountain."

"U-Um, I'm okay, really! You don't have to go that far!"

Akatsuki sat next to her and fished out the envelope from her skirt pocket. She tore the envelope's topside and read the letter inside. "They're inviting us to a tea party later. What do you think?"

"Hmm, it would be rude if we turned them down. I'm not sure..."

"This is weird. Why didn't we hear about a new unit moving in today?" Akatsuki passed the letter to her. "Read the signature."

Her eyes skimmed to the lower right part of the scented paper. "Commodore Minako? Ah! We heard this name before!"

"Too much of a coincidence, huh? I was thinking that we should drop by. I wanted to give them a piece of my mind when that girl rudely interrupted our match earlier."

"U-Um, don't cause trouble." As if her hands were on autopilot, Inazuma had to stop herself from reaching out to the stack of paper. She rested her forearms on the box's surface. She paused for a moment and decided that she needed to speak up. "Akatsuki, are you sure you're really okay?"

"Oh, it's nothing. That blast won't—"

"No, not that." Inazuma pushed herself backwards and leaned on the wall. "What you told me yesterday kept bugging me. That's why I thought something feels off about you since morning."

"R-Really? It's all in your head. Nothing's wrong with me."

"You don't have to cover it up." She pouted. "And you're a terrible liar, you know that?"

The purple-haired girl forced a smile as she looked up. "Fine, you got me. As much as I wanted to, it's not something that I can simply forget overnight."

"So I was right..."

"You don't have to worry that much."

"I can't help it. I know that telling me won't change anything, but... I'd appreciate it if you did."

Akatsuki hugged her knees. "It's just frustrating." Her voice trembled. "I worked so hard to earn myself a place there and yet... the entire regional division was dissolved after the district's decommissioning. I knew this would happen eventually, but it was stupid of me to get so optimistic in the first place."

"The whole station?!"

"Losing the stinger unit was one thing, but I grew up in that place. I'd hate to see it gone."

"M-Maybe they sent you here specifically because of that reason? Maybe the division officers had anticipated it before they got affected with the restructuring, that's why... um—"

"Maybe they did. I was so mad when I found out that I was going to be transferred here on a short notice, so I never had the chance to know." Akatsuki heaved a sigh, struggling to keep her emotions in check. "I still think it's just part of the reshuffle."

Inazuma stared at her feet as she rested her legs on the floor. "Is this place not enough for you?"

"N-No!" Akatsuki's eyes widened. "Uh, I mean, it's not like that! If I did hate being here, then I wouldn't have agreed to join your unit!"

She winced. "U-Um, I'm sorry! That was insensitive of me to even ask. I'm really—"

"Relax, it's okay! It's my fault that I didn't speak to you about this earlier."

Silence settled between them once again.

Passing the Navy's advance training course was certainly no easy feat, even to capital ships many times stronger than them. And her admittance to a forward unit was an undeniable proof of the sacrifices she had put up with to get to where she was now. These milestones didn't seem to matter in the grand scheme of things however.

Inazuma was at a loss for words—she didn't even consider Akatsuki's feelings and it only took her until that very moment to realize her own selfishness.

"No use dwelling on it. I've already decided long before I went there anyway." Akatsuki nodded. "I won't leave this place and I won't certainly leave this unit either."

Inazuma turned to look at her. "Y-You mean that?"

"Yeah, that's why I'm coordinating with the management here to finalize my admission in the Peacekeepers. You already had yours processed, right? So, I need to catch up!"

She smiled. "I'm happy to hear that."

"And... thank you, Inazuma. It's strange to say this—I feel much better now."

She quickly shook her head as she blinked her watery eyes. "Don't mention it. I'm sorry too... it didn't even cross my mind how you really felt. Some friend I am, right?"

"D-Don't cry. You don't have to apologize." Akatsuki sniffled as she rubbed her eyes with the sleeve of her blouse. "I used to think that we can only rely on one another, but everyone's been supportive too. I want to pitch in and return the favor."

"We're all doing our part."

"The environment here is different from what I'm used to. Well, I can trust on my acquaintances to watch my back during operations, that much is obvious. But here, I don't feel that there's a wide rift that prevents you to connect to everyone. And I'm sure it's not because this organization is only paramilitary by name... I just can't explain it."

"Yeah, it's more... warm and fuzzy in this place."

"But you know, he also asked me the same thing last night."

"Oh, the commander too?"

"I didn't tell him anything, but there's no doubt he knew." Akatsuki's shoulders drooped. "That's why I'm a bit cautious whenever I'm around him. He's really perceptive—like he's able to see through your thoughts and everything."

Inazuma giggled. "That's the commander for you."

"I guess he's not a bad guy. He may seem nosy with all the questions he suddenly throws at you, but he never pushes you to—wait, when did we end up talking about him?"

"It's okay to say that you're warming up to him too."

"J-Just forget about it!"

They spent the rest of their time together without another word, but the mood was considerably lighter now. With the sound of rain pelting against the window behind them, Inazuma resumed her paperwork. Meanwhile, Akatsuki rummaged through the stack of books on the commander's cardboard desk, much to Inazuma's dismay.

As soon as the commander entered the room, Akatsuki immediately handed the invitation to him.

Inazuma watched his eyes slowly narrow as he stared at the letter. "Do what you want," he said in a low voice. "I won't stop you."

The destroyers traded confused looks. His sudden change of disposition started to spawn questions in Inazuma's head, one after another. They knew they couldn't let this opportunity pass up.

It was still a couple of minutes early from the time indicated in the letter, but Akatsuki wanted to get to the bottom of things as quickly as possible. And so, they went to Room 315 and activated the intercom to notify the people inside. The door didn't open. No response from the occupants either.

They waited for a full minute in the dim hallway. And when door finally opened, the same fleet girl from earlier apologized for the delay and welcomed them inside. As they entered, a strong delectable aroma filled Inazuma's senses. She could also pick up a hint of freshly baked bread wafting from the tabletop. Next to the table set was an eye-catching cabinet divider filled with different kinds of knickknacks and other figures.

Framed paintings, wooden furniture, and other centuries old decor—the room had this unmistakable vintage theme in it. There were probably more items left in the cardboard boxes on their left, but Inazuma was impressed that the occupants had spruced up the room in a short amount of time for them to accommodate a tea party.

The friendly atmosphere was almost stifling.

"Please have a seat!" Kongou extended both hands to the round table.

"Are we the only ones here?" Akatsuki asked.

The battleship responded with a tilt of her head and she slowly cast her gaze to the woman by the window.

The woman turned around and stared at them. "Shall we start?"

Inazuma was stunned. She was the same officer from last night!

"Of course!" Kongou sat next to a tea cart. "Well, I still don't get why we're having this tea party, but it works for me!"

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Commodore Minako, a field logistics agent from the Naval Domain's mainland headquarters," the officer said as she took her seat across them. The destroyers both stood up and saluted, but she simply waved her hand and motioned at them to sit down. "At ease. Don't be so stiff, you two."

"Yes!" Kongou shot up from her seat and started pointing at each of the plates on the table. "Butter and chocolate biscuits. Macaroons. Chicken sandwiches. Muffins. Take your pick!"

She took her cap off, setting it aside. "Now, Kongou. Don't make our guests nervous. Let them choose their favorites."

Kongou filled up their cups with tea. "If I had the time, I could make us some of my special tea party snacks too! How about you, Choukai?"

The heavy cruiser nodded as she hovered next to Minako. "Oh, I'll have mine in a bit."

"Well then, I'd like to thank you for giving us some of your time," the officer said, "but I want to know if your commander is aware that you're here with us at this moment."

"He allowed us to go, if that's what you wanted to hear," Akatsuki said with an eyebrow raised.

"He did?" Her eyes narrowed for a moment. "He might as well join us right now. Is he busy?"

Unsure how to respond to the question, Inazuma simply nodded.

"How unfortunate, but that's just how things are at the moment. Truth is, I have little time left to spare as well. If you girls don't mind..."

The commodore slid down two folders between the plates. The two destroyers leaned closer as she revealed their contents.

Inazuma gasped. "That's our—"

Beside her, Akatsuki's face was turning to something really scary. An image that Inazuma would often see when an abyssal ship got a lucky bead on her. She looked up from the papers and stared into the officer's eyes. "What are you trying to do?"

"I noticed that you're working on your transfer applications, so I simply had your papers on hold to give you more time to think about your decision."

"I can't imagine you'll go that far just to drag us back to active duty. Destroyers at that too," Akatsuki said. "And with all due respect, your offer is insulting after the troubles I had to go through in the previous months."

"I'm aware of it, which is why I'm giving you this chance to start anew and—"

"I already did. Two months ago."

Minako sighed. "I see, but I'm sure you knew how precarious the situation is back at headquarters lately. We are desperate in keeping things back in track and we intend to do everything we can to accomplish our duties."

"That's hardly our problem now. What's your point?"

"We can file a request for reevaluation to render your transfer null and void." She lowered her head. "At worst, we can employ strong-arm tactics to get you in our full jurisdiction again."

Inazuma grimaced. "Th-That's not fair."

"No matter what the circumstances are, the two of you are Navy-born fleet girls. Isn't it within our prerogative to call upon your assistance in dire moments? Isn't it your duty to serve us with the best of your abilities?"

"U-Um, that's true, but..."

"Then, do we have an understanding now?"

"It all comes down to this, I see." Akatsuki flipped her hair with a grin. "Very well. We can just report you to the SRC for extortion if you intend on keeping this act. Resorting to this tactic is just low. And horribly outdated."

Inazuma whimpered. "A-Akatsuki! That's—!"

Choukai nodded. "I believe she got you on that one, Miss Minako."

"Whose side are you on again?" Minako ran her palm across her face. "The last thing we need is the SRC hounding us everywhere."

Inazuma couldn't quite follow where the conversation was going at this point, but it didn't seem like they were in trouble after all. "We... we don't want to cause any problems too," she said. "If possible, we can just talk this out peacefully."

Akatsuki leaned back in her chair. "Inazuma's right. Let's not make this complicated."

"Hmm, I see now." The officer smiled. "That certainly puts things into perspective."

"What do you mean?" Inazuma asked. From the corner of her eye, Kongou was pointing at the snacks in front of her.

"Pardon me. It's just a habit of mine." Minako took a deep breath and clasped her hands together. "But if that is what you truly feel, then I can only wish you good luck in your future endeavors."

"That was quick of you to give up," Akatsuki replied, reaching out for a chocolate biscuit. "So, what's this all about? I'm sure you have a purpose with this setup."

"Hmm, you're a sharp one."

"A Navy commodore who also happens to be working as a mere field agent? I would say that you didn't even try."

The officer sighed again as the heavy cruiser began chuckling. She collected the folders and handed them to Choukai. "On to the point, I just want you to do a little something for me. A favor, if you will."

"Okay, we're listening."

The officer took her teacup to her lips. "I want you to keep an eye on your commander. It shouldn't be too hard of a task, right?"

Inazuma blinked. "The commander? But why?"

"I can't disclose the details to you at this time, but I can only ask of you to watch him. Anything that contrasts or contradicts his usual routine should count. And worry not, I won't ask you to report every instance. In fact, I'll leave everything at your discretion on what particulars you want to divulge with us."

Inazuma frowned as she glanced at Akatsuki finishing the last bite of her biscuit. "Is he... going to be in trouble?"

"Oh, not at all," the officer replied with a smile. "I've simply taken an interest in him. You could say that it's more of a personal matter really."

"That sounds the same thing to me," Akatsuki said, dabbing a piece of tissue over her mouth. "If you have problems with him, why can't you just talk to him personally?"

"He is... a difficult one to approach. I'm certain that I won't get anything important from him that way."

"So, you want us to do the surveillance for you?"

"We can't force you to comply," Minako said, taking another sip of the steaming tea, "but I hope you will cooperate with us in this matter. If you wish to consult me, please refer to my secretary in this very room during office hours."

Choukai nodded as she looked at Inazuma. "I believe you've already met Lieutenant Harline, yes? This is, in fact, her office. But for practical reasons, we will be sharing this room during the day."

Wearing her cap, Minako stood up and smiled. "That is all. I'll leave them in your care, Kongou."

"What? You're leaving already?" Kongou asked. "We're just starting!"

"Unlike your commander, I am a very busy woman." She turned around. "And one more thing: I strongly advise not to get too attached to him. You might—no... will regret it when the time comes."

Akatsuki turned to look at her in the eye. "Where are you getting at?"

"I'm saying that he knows more than he's letting on. I'd be more careful around him if I were you."


	5. Fleeting Reverie

**04—Fleeting Reverie**

* * *

Almost caught in a dreamy trance, Inazuma couldn't help but gaze at the vivid red-orange scenery before her. Lazy streaks of grey clouds drifted in the skies as she listened to the cries of nearby seagulls and the droning of biplanes patrolling in the sector.

A lone figure, which kept her attentiveness from slipping away, stood in the midst of this enthralling sight. It raised its weapon once more, dashing right towards her. She took in deep breaths and cleared her mind. She was ready.

Inazuma clenched her teeth and fired her forearm turret at Murakumo's shadowy form, but her opponent was faster, dodging the shells with little effort.

Swerving to the right, Murakumo launched a torpedo that forced Inazuma to move from her spot. A turret extended out of her core structure and followed up with a couple of shots. Inazuma intercepted the shells with her mount plating, but this momentary distraction allowed Murakumo to close the distance between them.

Murakumo brought down her naginata while Inazuma reacted in time as she raised her arm up. Sparks flew as steel clashed with steel.

These rhythmic clangs went on over and over, neither of the two intending to miss a single beat. The tempo eventually grew at a quicker pace, approaching the inevitable climax.

"I have you now!"

Inazuma deflected another downward strike with her improvised shield, but Murakumo was relentless as she kept the pressure up, preventing Inazuma to escape. Each strike seemed to drain her energy as she did her best to fend off the assault. Despite this, her form didn't waver. She had to break through the other's momentum, fast.

Using all her strength, Inazuma pushed through the incoming strike, and it caught Murakumo by surprise. She disengaged and launched a concentrated shot over her shoulder, creating a wide torrent as it struck the space between them. She glided away while unloading all of her remaining torpedoes outwards. The torpedoes went off moments after their release, screening her position as she strafed to her left.

Her shoulders heaved up and down as she took the chance to refill her torpedo mounts. All seemed quiet for a moment, but Inazuma knew better. Sensing movement on her right, she reached out under her funnel and threw her anchor in that direction. Murakumo burst through the watery screen as she swerved slightly to her port with a cruel grin. At the same time, Inazuma shifted course to the opposite direction and activated her high-powered winch.

Murakumo gave chase and raised her weapon above her head. "Already out of ammo?"

"A little closer!"

"What are you—" A loud clang put a stop to Murakumo's progress. The anchor had lodged firmly on her backside, throwing her off balance.

Seizing this chance, Inazuma fired both of her gun mounts and the shells struck home. Fire and smoke quickly engulfed her opponent, but the tension from her anchor's chain disappeared. Murakumo sped out of the mass of black smoke and went for the kill. "You almost had me there, but that's not enough!"

Inazuma aimed her forearm turret at the approaching destroyer, but she hesitated and Murakumo capitalized on this with a sweep of her naginata. Another swipe disarmed Inazuma of her turret while the following attack caused her to stagger backwards. Murakumo pressed the blunt side of the blade on Inazuma's neck.

Disoriented, Inazuma collapsed to her knees. It was over.

"So close," Murakumo said, smiling. "You only needed to pull the trigger."

"I couldn't. And I've never shot someone in the head before."

"It's not like we're going all out here too. I won't get angry if you did. Probably."

"Um, I don't know about that..."

"Uhhh... okay, a little! But live exercises like this one is just as important as any other operation. One false step, and it's game over for you."

Inazuma slumped completely on the surface, but she managed a smile. "I guess that was clumsy of me. Sorry, Murakumo."

Murakumo pulled her weapon away. Using her free hand, she flicked a few strands of hair away from her face. "Then why did you hesitate? What if it caused you the lives of your comrades later on?"

"Uu... you're sounding like Akatsuki now."

"Sorry, can you repeat that?"

"Er, um, n-nothing!"

Murakumo recalled her naginata, vanishing in a faint blue light. She extended a hand. "But you're really an unorthodox fighter, aren't you?"

Inazuma gladly took it as she pulled herself to her feet. "I don't think I was ever one."

"But you're getting more and more creative every time we spar. That's why I look forward to these sessions."

"I have to thank Akatsuki for that."

"I practice with her a lot too—she's a tough cookie. By the way, that plating is meant to protect your torpedo launcher. Can't you get yourself a better shield?"

Inazuma looked at the battered plating. "I have one, but we left it back at the armory to implement some new configurations."

"Oh, keep that up." Murakumo pouted. "Unlike those two, you seem to know your priorities as a fleet girl. If only they can be half as responsible as you..."

"Good work, but save the chat for later," Einrost said over the comm link. "Climb aboard and unwind for a bit. We're calling it a day."

They both looked at the yacht in the distance. Murakumo nodded. "I'm parched. I could use some of that tropical shake I had yesterday."

"You better hurry. We're down to the last few glasses here."

"Wait, didn't I tell you to save some for me?"

Murakumo accelerated away, showering Inazuma with a gigantic splash. She looked over her shoulder. "S-Sorry!"

Inazuma forced a smile before letting out a long sigh. She followed the speeding destroyer until they reached the yacht moored next to a small island. Using the ladder on the ship's port side, they climbed up to the main deck then towards the sun deck where everyone was lounging. Murakumo plopped on a deck chair as she grabbed a glass of fruit shake and brought it to her lips. "Post-workout relaxation is the best!"

Inazuma got her own glass as well. It was an orange-mango blend Akatsuki had specifically ordered from the kitchen staff. She made a mental note to thank them later for the highly refreshing, delectable drink. The sweet mellow flavor, combined with its tangy aftertaste, was simply divine.

Beside her, Commander Yurie had her arms crossed under her chest. "We're making some progress at least. This isn't so much of a bad idea after all."

"Hey, what did I say?" Einrost said. "They want us to help out with perimeter defense, so here we are. Yuu liked this arrangement too, so it all worked out."

"But it's pretty bold of you to take your personal yacht out here. If this is your way of sending old ships to the scrapyard, you can always consult me for the handover procedures."

"Don't think that's relevant when they can tear apart a state-of-the-art navy vessel under a minute."

"I'd settle for something smaller then."

"You want a boat that much? Hey, I can't promise you anything, but I'll try to look around if I have the time."

"The ever generous executive director, huh? I appreciate that. In exchange, I'll be lending my services to you."

"My, you piqued my interest, milady." He cleared his throat. "Well then, what kind of services are we talking about here?"

Yurie moved in and landed a clean punch on his stomach. She turned to Murakumo with an irritated look on her face. "How do you work with this guy?"

"It's that one mystery I myself can't explain. And I wouldn't dare to hazard a guess either," the destroyer replied as she took a sip of her fruit shake. "That's probably why I made it a habit to give myself a pat in the back whenever I think about it."

Recovering from the blow, Einrost propped himself against the railguard. "D-Damn it, I haven't said anything!"

"Take some points from Yuu." Yurie brought out her personal terminal and tapped on its screen. "Maybe it'll help your case slightly."

Now that Yurie mentioned it, Inazuma hadn't seen the commander since she got on the deck. "Um, where did he go?" she asked.

"Missed him already, huh?" Einrost replied. "Top deck's lookout. He seemed busy talking to someone on the line earlier."

Inazuma gave her thanks and excused herself from the group. She climbed the stairs and saw the commander staring at the glistening waters. "Commander, um... hello."

"Need something?"

She shook her head. "Can I join you?"

"You don't need to ask."

"Ah, but..." She looked at her wet and tattered uniform. She concentrated and her uniform became good as new. "There!"

"I wish I could do that. Looks really convenient."

"I use quite a bit of energy when I do it though." Inazuma walked beside him and rested her arms on the railing. She closed her eyes as she drank her fruit shake. "The breeze sure is nice."

She cast back to an earlier time. The words of Commodore Minako echoed in her head once more:

_Don't you want to learn more about him? Gather enough pieces and I assure that you'll be highly intrigued with the details you'll uncover._

She didn't even know what to look out for. He was just simply unpredictable and inconsistent. Perhaps she needed to look into a deeper meaning behind his actions? Akatsuki told her not to fuss over it, but she couldn't get it out of her mind despite her best efforts.

Taking in the peaceful ambiance, they watched the skies darken as the sun slowly disappeared below the horizon. After a while, they saw two dots speeding towards the ship's stern. "That must be them," he said, yawning.

Inazuma squinted her eyes as she noticed Sendai waving her hand. She stretched her arm in the air and waved back. The pair of light cruisers made their approach and boarded the yacht. "Um, Commander, where did you send them this time?" she asked.

"I already told you, didn't I?"

Inazuma swallowed as he glanced at her. "U-Um... I know, but still..."

"Hey, can I ask you something? What are you up to with Akatsuki?"

"E-Erm... what do you mean?"

"Lately, she's pestering me a lot, always on my tail whenever I leave the office. Too many whats and whys." Inazuma winced as his eyes pierced through her. "If you have a problem with me, don't drag others into it."

"It's not like that at all!"

"Inazuma, do you think I'm a person that can be trusted?"

Then and there, Inazuma froze. It took all of her willpower to snap out of her stupor to give a convincing answer. "O-Of course!"

"I'm glad to hear that." He looked back to the darkening horizon. "Then again, trust is just as fickle as everything else—your opinion about me can easily change the next day."

"I... I won't! W-Well, you can be a jerk at times... but you're a trustworthy person, Commander."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Inazuma barely noticed the cruisers standing by the stairs. "Admi—commander, are we interrupting something?" Jintsuu asked.

"No, it's fine," he replied. "What happened back there?"

"We're not completely sure, but we felt like we were being followed. That's why—" She stopped, glancing at Inazuma who only tilted her head in response. "Um..."

"Go on. If there are abyssal ships that got past through our patrols, we'll need to deal with them quickly."

"W-Well, after we switched off the line, we decided to change our current course and lure out whoever they were."

Sendai sat on the bench across them. "Nothing showed up though. Either they noticed or it was all in our heads—take your pick."

"Then, it's a good thing nothing happened," Inazuma said. "I'm relieved."

The commander brought out his terminal. "I'll notify the others later. Thank you."

"Oh, right! Here ya go." Sendai brought out a thin card case and handed it to the secretary fleet girl. "I already gave Akatsuki hers, but it looks like she's still in a bad mood, huh?"

Inazuma sighed as she removed the card inside, holding it up between her fingers. "I hope they'll forget about it like always."

In a flash of bluish light, a shield-type MAU appeared on her left forearm. It was smaller and lighter compared to the prototype model she had tested in the armory. Another apparent difference was the cannon attachment only having a single barrel as opposed to the standard pair. There was also a small interface above the shield's arm slot, displaying ammunition count and the current user settings for the mag-ion field projector.

"So, how is it?" the commander asked. "Is it comfortable to hold?"

"Yup, it's light and it's easy to handle. Thank you."

"I still have a few ideas in mind, but we'll save them for another time."

"The modifications aren't cheap, Commander."

"I know, don't look at me like that."

Sendai rubbed the back of her head. "I got to wear it before going back, but it doesn't feel that sturdy to me." A naval gun materialized on her forearm. "Let's find out."

Inazuma gasped. "W-Wait—"

"Surprise attack!"

Her battle reflexes kicked in, saving her from the brunt of the blast. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself unscathed. "Th-that was close!"

The light cruiser whistled. "Woo! I sure can't wait to get one of those!"

They heard heavy footsteps climbing the stairs. Einrost appeared before them, catching his breath. "Hey, hey! Usage of firearms on board isn't allowed, remember?" he said. "Spare me the repair bills, please."

Murakumo's head poked out from the stairs. "How about we use the empty session hall—"

He rubbed his forehead with both of his hands. "Wh-What's wrong with you girls?!"

"Hmph, it's your fault not investing on a well dock."

"This is a yacht!"

"I'm sorry, Commander Einrost." Jintsuu coughed once and turned to Sendai. She raised an index finger in front of her. "Sendai, you won't be getting any modules for the time being."

"B-But why?"

She poked Sendai's nose. "No buts. Do reckless things again or we'll reassign you to the afternoon shift for a week."

"N-No, not the afternoon shift! Anything but that!" Sendai curled herself on the bench. "No. I... I'll be out of my element. I can't let that happen... I'll be a good girl, so please..."

The commander had an uninterested expression on his face. "Scary."

Jintsuu turned around with a smile. "It's a handy approach when she gets too bothersome."

* * *

Night came. After an hour of downtime, everyone hurried to the dining room for dinner. Utensils clattered as they helped themselves with the dishes displayed on the long table. It was already the fourth night of their cruise, but the kitchen staff could really cook all sorts of good food. It wasn't all that surprising from Einrost's entourage though—they always seemed to be the best on what they do.

As soon as they finished stuffing their bellies to the brim, they went back to their respective stations while Yurie's fleet set off to patrol the immediate sea area. Maya brought with her some snacks and desserts to be shared with the other units in the sector. Those patrol units spend most of their days out in the sea, so they would definitely appreciate the goodies everyone picked from the kitchen pantry. They did have to wonder if Murakumo actually asked permission to raid the pantry's freezer for that matter.

Left with nothing to do at the moment, Inazuma brought the commander's terminal and walked out to the main deck. Unlike in a real Navy vessel where live drills, housekeeping, and other various duties were the norm, there weren't so much for them to do other than wait for updates from the bridge's staff. Most of her fellow fleet girls were at the recreation room, but she soon realized that a few of them had the same idea as hers: passing the time in the open areas of the ship to ease off and relax.

Making her second pass around the foredeck, she booted up the terminal and navigated through the system's menu. Like usual, she tapped on the fleet's equipment inventory and checked on the recent items that the commander had developed in the factory. "Carrier planes? Why would he—"

Something damp and cold touched her cheeks. The momentary fright caused her to nearly lose her grip on the device. She turned around, clutching the terminal against her chest. "D-Don't do that!"

The commander shook the carton of milk in his hand. "What are you doing out here? The others are playing that dancing game again."

"Ah, were you looking for me?" she asked, giving out his terminal. He pointed at her jacket instead. Inspecting the insides of the jacket, she found a hidden compartment large enough to house the device. She carefully slid the terminal into the slot.

"Not really. Just out for a walk."

Upon seeing him shiver, she then noticed the thick coat he was wearing. "Are you okay? It must be tough being sensitive to the cold."

"Yeah." He punched a straw on the milk carton before resting his arms on the railing. "I figured that I should get used to it, but that's just impossible for me."

"Hmm, I know!"

"What is it?"

"Give me your hand." Hesitantly, he brought his left hand closer to her. She took it between hers and began to concentrate. "There!"

He blinked as his mouth slowly open. "I feel... warm. What did you just do?"

Inazuma smiled. "Well, have you ever wondered why fleet girls can operate in extreme weather conditions?"

"Hmm, I've read about that bit. A fleet girl's multi-layered natural mag-ion field can be configured to shield her from external elements."

"That's correct!"

"At first, I just assumed that your extraordinary tolerance to pretty much everything has something to do with your unnatural constitution. Or maybe a combination of both?"

"A newborn fleet girl isn't any different from adult humans in terms of physical abilities, but she'll continue to grow stronger through constant usage of mag-ions."

"In other words, the body adapts to the power increase given by mag-ions. Well, that's a bit unfair, don't you think?"

She giggled. "Of course, there are limits to the level of strength that a fleet girl can achieve."

He nodded, smiling. "Being a fleet girl sure has its conveniences."

"You're really passionate about us fleet girls. Is that the reason why you joined the Peacekeepers?" He gave her a sharp look. Inazuma gulped. _Eh? I just blurted it out, but... if that's the case, why did he have to be a fleet officer?_

"Written accounts and other studies exhibited countless discrepancies pertaining to the true nature of your kind. More than a decade in and we're still looking for answers." He bit his lip, looking away. "The prospect of searching the unknown is already interesting on its own, but sometimes, I can't help to think if everything that I did so far actually meant something."

"Do all of those things really matter to you?"

"It does. It's a promise I made to myself after all."

"That's weird, I thought you can only give promises to other people." Inazuma considered his words, nodding. "I see, so that counts as a promise too?"

"What promise?"

"Peace. I might not be able to do much, but I'll do everything I can to achieve that."

"I suspected as much, but you're sounding like a main character of an adventure novel right now."

"Eh... are you teasing me again?"

There was a brief flash of regret on his face. "But considering how things are at the moment, that might be... no, you should hold on to that promise of yours." He smiled. "I don't get to hear those words often. It's actually a little refreshing."

"I know that it won't be easy, but we're a team, right? You can also count on us to help you with your promise too."

"I'm sure you have plenty of other things to worry about. My problems are mine alone, Inazuma."

Inazuma stared at the ring on his finger. "You always say that."

"Finally found you two! Why are you—" Akatsuki gasped as she took a step backwards. "A-Ah... what..."

The pair exchanged looks and retracted their hands. "U-Um, Akatsuki, I'm just keeping him warm," Inazuma said.

"I-Is that so?" Akatsuki crossed her arms as she approached them. "Don't get any weird ideas, Commander. The very least you can do is show some tact."

He sighed. "I think you're the one having indecent thoughts in your head."

Akatsuki turned away as she propped herself against the railing. "Don't start on me. I already had enough with Hatsuyuki."

Inazuma frowned. "You're still fighting?"

"Until she stops talking behind my back and apologizes to me, she'll never hear the end of it."

"I've been thinking," the commander said, "did something happen the last time you went to the mainland?"

"Nothing important. I just did what I have to do there and left the moment they released my papers."

"Huh, you surely are in a hurry finalizing your transfer here."

Smiling, Akatsuki glanced at the secretary. "It's only natural for someone like me to finish such matters in a timely fashion," she said. "But it looks like the rumors are true—everyone seems to be on edge when I got there. The internal friction between the Naval Domain's powers is only getting worse."

"That's unfortunate," Inazuma said.

"Hardly our problem now." Akatsuki brushed a few loose locks of hair over her face. "Though I do feel bad about the branches that got affected. Many fleet girls were displaced, but the higher-ups act like all this mess they made will clean itself up later."

"I'm not surprised," the commander said. "With the SRC and other fleet girl-related organizations out there, the Navy's expecting them to pick up their slack."

"But... is it just me or the Navy is starting to distance itself from us?"

"Huh? Us?" Inazuma said.

"Yeah. If you think about it, most of the affected branches are forward bases and outposts for fleet girls."

"Have you forgotten why they had to restructure in the first place?" the commander asked. "Their statements in the earlier months were vague, but we're slowly getting the whole picture, bit by bit."

"Hey, what do you know about this?" Akatsuki stepped closer to him. "Spill it."

He sighed again. "Roughly sixty percent of their annual expenditures goes to their abyssal countermeasure operations, where you fleet girls are the centerpiece of that department. They're shrinking part of that budget to allocate it to somewhere else."

Akatsuki looked at her feet, wincing. "If you put it that way..."

"A-Akatsuki, are you okay?" Inazuma asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She raised her head, staring at the commander. "Any idea why?"

He simply shrugged. "How should I know? They might reveal the specifics in the following weeks, but we can only assume they're working on a major project that needs to be completed as quickly as possible. Given a tight time frame, it would only make sense that they'll be more than willing to put more resources into the project. Anything to speed up the process and get the job done within their schedule is fair game."

"And they chose to compromise us, I know. But for someone who hates the Navy's guts, you know your way around with those details."

"On the contrary, whenever I take a breather at the lounge, I always end up sitting through those news specials about them. I'm getting sick of it."

"Then don't watch it? Ugh, I can't believe I praised you just now."

Inazuma smiled at the thought of it. "Hatsuyuki and Fumizuki always complain about the news too. Things are getting busier lately, huh?"

"But... why?" Akatsuki leaned on the railing next to Inazuma. "We are doing our best and yet..."

"We humans act all high and mighty for our own good." He paused as he sipped his drink. "If it weren't for that weird programming you fleet girls have in your heads, you could be working in tandem with the Abyssals long ago. Maybe you guys get to take the land portions of the world or whatever."

The destroyers traded looks. Akatsuki just shook her head. "That's some nonsensical alternate reality you have. Do you always make childish ideas in that head of yours?"

His expression didn't change. "Things have been very different since the past decade. With all the previous hardships your predecessors had endured, I'll always be grateful that you didn't turn on us."

"Why would we even consider that in the first place?"

"Yeah," Inazuma chimed in. "We'll never do that!"

He motioned his milk carton to Inazuma. "And that's the very same attitude we've exploited over the years. You girls are blinded with that deep-seated sense of duty, putting yourself below everything else."

His tone had more emotion and emphasis to it. She pursed her lips. "Calling it that sounds a bit too far."

"To be honest, who gave us the right to boss you guys around? You came into this world, willing to give your very lives to protect us, and we pay you back with nothing but contempt and indifference. We abuse your goodwill, knowing that you'll never point your guns at us."

Akatsuki grimaced. "You don't have to say it like it's a bad thing."

"And if we assume those theories are true, fleet girls have more experience than most of us could ever hope for. Why is there a need for a human commander if you girls are competent enough to handle yourselves?"

"You're still hung up about that? Why do you care so much about what we think anyway?"

Inazuma nodded. "And it doesn't matter now, right? Everyone has been very supportive of us and I couldn't be happier with that."

The commander paused. He lowered his head and breathed in deeply. "You're probably right. I'm just overthinking about pointless stuff again."

"That's just like you, Commander."

"Hmm... that said, you should learn a thing or two from them."

Akatsuki raised an eyebrow. "Learn from who now?"

"Nevermind."

Inazuma sighed. "There you go again."

"What I'm saying is, it's okay for you to become selfish once in a while—to think and decide of a future that you could call your own."

"We're not robots, you know. You don't have to say it so bluntly," Akatsuki said. "I, Akatsuki, have plenty of ambitions for me to realize life's full splendor."

"I'm a bit interested to know... at the same time, I kinda don't."

She chuckled. "You wouldn't be able to wrap your head around it anyway."

Out of nowhere, Einrost's voice broke out of Inazuma's earpiece. "Hey lovebirds, get in the bridge. Something's up."

Relaying the recent developments to Akatsuki, they hurried back to the yacht's bridge and found a crowd around the meeting table. In front of them was a large monitor displaying a live visual feed of the yacht's scanner systems. The navigation fairies were huddled together next to the laptop Yurie was using.

Absorbing the tense atmosphere of the room made Inazuma's heart race. She took a deep breath to help herself calm down. Akatsuki walked towards the other girls. "Contacts?"

"We have four," Yurie replied as she pointed at the monitor. From the overhead image of the scanner's maximum range, the map quickly zoomed into the area of engagement.

"That's all? Why did you need to call us here?" Murakumo asked.

"Hold on," Akatsuki said. "It's the Abyssals, right?"

"Their descriptions don't match the current roster," Yurie replied. "Well, that only applies to the three of them. The last one is a Ta-class battleship."

"The unidentified ones are indeed worthy of concern," Aster said with a tap of her cane. "And for some bizarre reason, they are also exhibiting familiar mag-ion signatures."

Freya, a navigation fairy from Einrost's unit, sat on top of a chocolate box and snapped her fingers. "We don't want to jump the gun on this one, but we'll have a better chance figuring it out when we get there. I'm curious myself."

"Can't even give us a wild guess?" Einrost asked. "You can sense their signatures far better than our machines."

"Still negative, skipper."

"So, what's the plan?" Murakumo asked.

"Maya and the others were already notified." Yurie glanced outside. "I got a bad feeling about this. Let's just hope they can handle it."

Inazuma took a deep breath. "Um, now I'm worried too..."

Murakumo placed a hand on her waist. "You know, when someone says something bad is gonna happen, it's more than likely that it will—"

A distress notification appeared on the screen and Yurie rushed to a computer panel to answer the line. All eyes went to Murakumo.

The destroyer gritted her teeth as she balled up her hands. "What? Oh, come on!"

"I better get used to this," Hatsuyuki said.

"Hey, you haven't said anything since you got here," Einrost said as he tapped the commander's shoulder. "Something wrong?"

The commander didn't reply as he kept his eyes on the monitor. Soon enough, the red blips began to move southeast. Yurie tapped her headset as she took her eyes away from the panel. Her face was pale. "We need to intercept the enemy. They captured a few of our girls."

"So, they showed up again."

"This should be the same group behind the abductions in the last few days. And chances are, they're probably related to that one abyssal ship we haven't caught yet. I have to pay them back for taking Yayoi from us."

The heavy cruiser Haguro, one of the bridge's system operators, turned around from her seat. "Umm... with the help of the fairies, we've managed to get a lock on the enemy fleet. But at the current speed they're taking, it won't be long before we lose sight of them again."

"This is our chance. What are we waiting for?" Murakumo summoned her spear. "Let's assemble a pursuit team and deploy ASAP."

"Alright," Einrost said, tapping his earpiece. "Hyuuga, all set?"

Hyuuga's voice blared from the monitor's speakers. "Commencing artillery strike—broadside!"

The crackle of energy from outside was even more intense, causing the whole ship to tremble. "Whoa, she doesn't beat around the bush," Kumano said.

"S-Sorry that I didn't warn everyone," Haguro said, glancing over her shoulder. "I just sent her the range calculations for the artillery attack."

"These enemies are unlike any of the other ones you have encountered so far," Yurie said. "Stay on your toes, everyone."

Everyone returned Yurie's determined expression, nodding in agreement. They would rescue their comrades for sure!

"Finally," Uzuki said. "Just you wait and—"

Yurie reclined in her seat. "Uzuki, you're staying here."

"What?! There's no way I'm going to sit back and twiddle my thumbs here!"

"That's an order. Trust them on this one."

"B-But—"

"You'll have your chance later. You have my word, Uzuki."

Uzuki directed her glare to Murakumo. "You better not screw this up."

"Of course. I'll make them pay, triple the interest."

* * *

Hyuuga's batteries boomed for the second time as they sped through the waves at full speed. The blazing trails of the battleship's shells illuminated the cloudy skies, disappearing as they crossed the horizon. However, the weather decided not to cooperate with them as the subtle drizzle transformed into a total downpour. It was only a minor obstacle compared to the challenge that they would need to conquer later.

As they received report of the enemy group slowing down, muddy flares and fireballs came into view. The aerial squadrons Shoukaku and Chitose sent ahead of them conjured a storm in the midst of the heavy rain, but they only served as a distraction at best towards the opposite force. The enemies shot the planes down in quick succession, turning the preemptive assault into a shooting gallery.

But just then, another wave from Hyuuga's artillery strike whistled from above, raining on and around the enemy's position. A number of overwhelming bronze sparks consumed the area as the shells detonated on impact. It was their signal to move in and seize their victory.

A shimmering purple light appeared amidst the rising chaos. "Wait, what's that?" Nagara said.

Akatsuki veered to the left. "No—! Dodge!"

The violent streak of energy ripped through their formation, vaporizing the sea's surface as the beam traveled past them. Its projectile detonated seconds later, releasing a tremendous shock wave in its radius. Inazuma reclaimed her bearings just as quick and took her position with the others.

"We got their blindside!" Maya said. "Careful, these guys are tough!"

"I'll be the judge of that!" Murakumo signaled the rest to get ready.

Activating their searchlights, Akatsuki and Murakumo circled the enemy group. The strong light beams infuriated the Ta-class battleship, but the other two didn't seem to mind, not moving a limb from where they stood. Inazuma used this chance to take a good look on the unidentified abyssal ships:

One abyssal girl had two cylindrical pods on her back. Other than a light-caliber turret slung around her body, she was surprisingly unarmed. In contrast, the taller girl was the complete opposite. She had an enormous cannon strapped on her back, multiple turrets attached to her body, and a crystalline blade for an arm. Both of them had an attentive look on their faces, but nevertheless calm and relaxed.

Inazuma could feel something else about them. She just couldn't put her finger on it.

"W-Wait, only three?" Maya said.

The Ta-class battleship began to gloat. "Fools, all of you will die here!"

A sudden energy burst knocked everything outward, save for the abyssal ships protected inside a mag-ion field. Inazuma and the rest slowly backed away from the surging power emanating below them. A shadowy blob swelled up from the depths, creating a small vortex in its wake.

"Crap, another one?!" Maya said. "And I thought losing sight of the other girl was a bad thing."

"Seriously," Murakumo said, "why didn't you report that they have backup?!"

"That thing came from underwater! Ask a submarine, dammit!"

More of the shadowy figure bulged out of the whirlpool. First, its head, then its body and two bloated arms. Its glossy skin oozed and dribbled as if it was made out of some mushy substance. And by Inazuma's estimate, it was about several stories high, with hands large enough to pluck out a warship's entire mast or funnel from its hull. It probed the area with its pale yellow eyes, slowly moving its head from right to left.

Maya was the first to speak up. "What the… those stories are actually true?!"

"Oh boy, this isn't good," Nagara said, keeping her naval gun close to her side.

"U-Umibozu?!" Akatsuki said. "But that's just some stupid urban legend!"

Murakumo scoffed. "Whatever it is, I've expected it to be more threatening than that. This will be easy if we work together and—"

The giant opened its mouth and bellowed. Grayish, ooze-like substance crawled all over its skin, swelling and forming clusters on its body. These throbbing clusters slowly gained shape. Explosive launchers, anti-air turrets, and cannons fitted the creature—some of the weapons barely sticking out of its body for them to work. Akatsuki's eyes widened. "Th-Those are... MAUs! What's the meaning of this?!"

"I don't understand—have they adopted modular technology into their bodies or something?" Einrost asked.

"Save the speculations for later!" Murakumo pointed her spear at the giant. "Light that thing up!"

Hatsuyuki raised her turret as she moved in. "Yup, better get used to it..."

Initiating the barrage, they split off as they pelted their target with their guns. The Umibozu creature retaliated with its extensive arsenal, showering everything with lead and explosives. Combined with the heavy rain and constant flash of gunfire from every direction, their surroundings escalated into a full-fledged war zone. Reinforcements in the form of carrier planes swooped from above, dropping their payloads onto the creature. Enveloped in a hellish blaze, it directed its anti-air guns to the sky and released a blanket of projectiles. The next wave of bombers was caught in the volley, thinning out their aerial support for the second time.

Leaving the two abyssal girls in the sidelines, the Ta-class battleship threw herself into the fray. She went straight to Murakumo, nearly slicing her with a polearm. The two engaged in a fierce melee display as the others focused on whittling down the giant's defenses.

Meanwhile, Inazuma teamed up with Fusou and Sendai as they launched their shells from a safer distance. Fusou's concentrated salvos proved to have immediate effects on the creature, but she needed time to prepare between shots. The giant, seemed to be aware of that fact, made sure that she wouldn't be able to score another clean hit. Its turrets trailed the battleship's every move, screening her with walls of seawater. Despite the massive gap in firepower, the girls didn't let up as they traded shell after shell with the creature.

The punishment they were dishing out to the creature was phenomenal, but it showed no signs of weakness or vulnerability. It was a formidable fortress on its own and they had to reconsider their approach quick.

They thought of disabling the weapons of the creature, but they couldn't deal enough damage for the plan to work. Its thick mag-ion field was an excellent damper against their weapons. And similar to other abyssal ships, the giant also had impressive regenerative properties. They could take a couple of turrets out of commission, but only for a short moment before its weapons reactivate again.

"This bastard's a literal bullet sponge!" Maya said.

"You won't be able to kill it," the commander said. "Everyone needs to pull out of that area. Now."

Most of them voiced their surprise over the radio. "I wouldn't peg you as a coward, Yuu," Yurie said. "What exactly is happening out there?"

"I thought they might stand a chance against it, but seeing the situation now limits us down to a few options." He sighed deeply. "We're not prepared for this."

"Are you saying that we should just run?"

"See that other girl inside the field? She is the automaton's operator—its lifeline. Unless you take her out, there will be no end to that battle."

"A-Alright! Maya, you know what to do!"

"Yeah, I heard that," Maya replied. "But we need to slow this thing down for an opening!"

"But is it really that simple? If you have a plan... better tell us quick," Murakumo said. "We're in a bind here!"

The commander didn't respond.

"You definitely know something that we don't," Yurie said. "If we fail here, we might not get another chance." Her voice began to crack. "H-Hurry, we're running out of time!"

"All the more reason for us to cut our losses and retreat," he replied. "If this gets any worse—"

"That's not an option! A-Are you just going to turn your back on us like that?!"

"Forget it!" Akatsuki said.

Inazuma stopped for a moment, lowering her arms. "A-Akatsuki?! What are you saying?"

"I-If he doesn't want to help, fine! We'll find a way on our own!"

Akatsuki dashed towards the giant, with Hatsuyuki and Nagara following her tail.

"H-Hey, get back here!" Maya said.

Akatsuki ignored the projectiles headed her way as she picked up speed. The giant let loose a deafening cannon fire, landing straight to the destroyer's path. She was swallowed up by the blast as seawater soared to the sky. "A-Akatsuki!" Inazuma cried.

"Initiate a suppression barrage!" Yurie said. "We need to get her out of there!"

Within the deluge, Inazuma felt an energy spike. An anchor broke out and latched into a turret sticking out of the Umibozu's chest. At the next moment, a purple spark zipped straight towards the creature and sliced off the turret's barrel. "Don't just stand there!" Akatsuki shouted. "Keep shooting!"

"Right," Maya said, "but no hard feelings if you got hit by a stray shell!"

Covered in a purple haze, Akatsuki jumped from one module to the next, destroying the weapons at point-blank range. This strategy seemed to work as the creature focused its attention on the destroyer, attempting to grab her with its massive hands.

She jumped off from her platform, throwing her anchor to the other side of the creature's body. However, the anchor didn't connect to the gun mount. As they had feared, the small slip-up allowed the creature to snag her easily. "L-Let go!"

Maya and the others immediately responded with their own shelling, but the Umibozu was more than eager to crush the destroyer between its fingers.

Inazuma froze, terror consuming her from the inside. The voices calling out to her didn't reach her. At the next moment, she found herself tackled by Sendai as a huge torrent devoured the space where she previously stood. The light cruiser helped her to get on her feet, but Inazuma felt that her strength was being eaten away. Akatsuki's anguished screams was too much for her to bear.

The commander's voice broke her out of despair's grasp. "Tch—Inazuma, shoot down its field generators first. See that thing between the turrets on its shoulder? A heavy-caliber gun should be able to punch through the field and destroy it for good."

"B-But wouldn't it just regenerate again?" Fusou asked.

"Reducing a module into scraps takes a longer time to recover. Sendai, soften up the target for her."

Sendai activated her searchlight. "Roger!"

Taking their cue, they forced themselves into the endless waterworks and attempted to take the generator out in a single hit. Through Sendai and Inazuma's diversion, Fusou was able to get close enough to release a devastating salvo with her main batteries. As they had anticipated, the explosion that followed made short work of the module.

The Umibozu's grip seemed to have slackened as Akatsuki's voice quieted down. But before they could take further action, a bright gold surge crossed the field at blinding speed. A shrill crackling followed as a powerful energy signature struck the creature several times. The Umibozu's hand fell off, slowly disintegrating beneath the waves. Taken aback, Inazuma tried to trace the receding power and saw Hyuuga past the towering silhouette.

Not a moment was wasted as the battleship sheathed her katana and deployed her turrets' barrels. Her aura flickered with life once more, and she unleashed a series of alternating salvos. The intense barrage gave them time to pull Akatsuki out of harm's way. Once they were in the clear, Haguro and Jintsuu arrived just in time to rain down more shells at the enemy. Sendai followed the two cruisers as she directed her searchlight's beam on the giant's shoulder. Their synchronized movements led them to a much needed opening and their combined shelling quickly neutralized the second generator.

Having the tables turned on the creature, the fleet continued their unbridled assault. The Umibozu was still very resilient, but the effects of their attacks were more apparent—chunks of steel flying all over the place, each blast eating away at its flesh.

Overwhelmed and exposed, the creature slumped forward. Its flesh began to disintegrate, leaving a mechanical humanoid frame on the water. The skeletal structure had tissues connecting to a spherical chunk of flesh in its stomach area. It was a dreadful sight, but it was also something that could easily provoke one's curiosity the more you stare at it.

"Phew, that took way too long," Nagara said.

Maya breathed in and exhaled deeply. "That's it, huh?"

"And the insides of our colossal monster is actually quite small," Kumano said. "How is that possible?"

"I dunno," Nagara replied. "But man, I really practiced my footsies a lot in this op!"

"Footsies? You must know that you could be killed in the slightest error you make, yes?"

"I know, I know! I did my best tonight even though I got tagged a few times."

Another explosion broke out nearby and they heard Murakumo grumbling over the comm link. "I'm sorry," she said. "She got away, but I made sure she won't be coming back for a while."

"Goodness, you look terrible!" Kumano said.

Maya looked over to the destroyer's steaming, tattered form. "You alright?"

"S-She gave me a good workout, I'll give her that," Murakumo replied, clutching her bleeding arm. "So, are we done here?"

"Looks like it. I thought that thing was supposed to be invincible or whatever."

"Too early to celebrate just yet—you have to destroy its core engine," the commander said.

"What about them?" Murakumo asked. The other two abyssals were still inside their mag-ion field.

"But I don't get this. What's their game?"

His voice was almost a whisper, but everyone heard it regardless. "What do you mean? Don't keep us in the dark like that."

"She's right," Yurie said. "We need to be on the same page if we want to succeed here."

"It should be obvious," he said. "We wouldn't even stand a chance if those two abyssal ships joined in. Why bother entertaining us a fight that they won't take seriously?"

"You assume they have another goal in mind?"

"Well, motives aside," Einrost said, "we should finish what we started and gain the upper hand. Hyuuga?"

"Understood," Hyuuga replied. She fired her batteries, releasing a sizable blaze. Almost instantly, the searing blasts engulfed the skeletal remains, but Inazuma knew it would be too convenient if it were to end there.

A translucent dome protected it from the attack. Inside the field was the pod-carrying abyssal girl, patting the core's surface. She glanced to her right and Hyuuga suddenly shouted, "Look out!"

The other abyssal girl had finally made her move, rushing towards an unsuspecting Hatsuyuki. Akatsuki shoved her out of the blade's path, but the timely rescue cost her her right arm. She held her ground as a rapier materialized in her other hand. "N-Not this time!"

She plunged the blade into the enemy's chest. The taller girl staggered mid-swing and Akatsuki was quick to stab her the second time in the waist. With a stifled cry, the abyssal girl countered with a point-blank shot from one of her waist turrets. Akatsuki was sent skipping on the water while the enemy went after her next target.

Her blinding speed caught Inazuma off guard. The destroyer raised her left arm just in time to intercept the sideward slash, but the blade broke through the shield's field coating, deeply denting the upper half of her shield. The force of the blow made her lose her footing, knocking her away. Her world spun as she bounced and tumbled before stopping into a heap. When she looked up, the enemy was already upon her. She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes.

A bright light flashed through her eyelids and a clang followed. Still wincing, she opened her eyes and saw a tall figure in front of her.

Hyuuga had intercepted the enemy's blade with her katana. "Leave her to me. I trust that you'll take care of the other girl." She returned her gaze to the girl before her. "And you shall be my opponent."

The abyssal girl narrowed her eyes and responded with another downward slash.

Inazuma quickly regrouped with Hatsuyuki to escort Akatsuki away from the ensuing battle, but a rapid increase in mag-ion levels turned their attention back to the skeletal frame. A figure suddenly bulged out of the throbbing core. It was a girl. "H-Help me… please…"

Her body was unnaturally pale. Her eyes were devoid of life and color. Purple veins bulged under her skin.

"A... A fleet girl?!" Yurie said.

"She's not one of our girls," Einrost said, "but that's still messed up—what did they do to her?"

"It's no different from us using mag-ion cells to power equipment," the commander said. "But instead of pouring mag-ions into special cell containers, she was stuffed inside the core to increase overall energy output. She's nothing more than a battery inside that automaton."

"They've been abducting fleet girls for that?!"

The fleet girl's cries were drowned into the pitch-black blurb as the core consumed her body. The Umibozu started to regain its glossy flesh and modules once more. Its size was smaller compared to its previous form, but it didn't look any less threatening. On its shoulder, a rectangular platform began to form.

Inazuma bit her lip. _A flight deck?_

Witnessing the horrific sight made her blood run cold. But this sensation was quickly replaced with an undeniable desire to end it once and for all. "Commander," she said, "we have to save her!"

"This situation is already beyond us. Leave—"

"Trust us, Commander. We can do this! Just tell us how!"

"That's beside the point, Inazuma. The risks are—"

"Does that mean that... you don't trust us all this time?"

"Ngh, this is a new low from you," Akatsuki said. "How disappointing."

He let out a short growl. "I keep telling you that the risks aren't worth the—wait, why are you two smiling?"

Einrost chuckled. "I don't really care about the details, but the outcome of this situation depends on you now."

"That is true," Yurie replied. "Your inaction could spark a greater disaster later on. I'm sure you wouldn't want that to happen."

"So now you're ganging up on me?" No one spoke as they waited for his answer. And when he did, Inazuma breathed out her pent-up anxiety. "There is one other way, but I can't guarantee your success with—"

"You've already made your point," Yurie said. "Just get on with it."

"You have to take out its operator first. Or at least distract it from reactivating the automaton."

Murakumo flexed her injured arm. "That girl, huh?"

"Dish out enough damage to the automaton and it'll enter in a self-repair state like it did earlier. The core engine will be vulnerable during that time—crack it open and you'll be able to get her out of there. This will only work if you were able to sever the link between the operator and automaton."

"That's surprisingly straightforward. Beat her up, then we rescue the fleet girl."

"Don't overdo it," Einrost said. "You might hit those pods on her back."

"I know. Don't compare us to those amateurs in the Navy."

They knew what to do this time as they scampered off to different directions. Sendai, Nagara, and Murakumo went after the abyssal operator, who defended herself with her portable turret and safety fields. Hyuuga kept the other abyssal girl at bay while the rest took on the Umibozu. Inazuma rejoined the fight after taking Akatsuki and Hatsuyuki to a safer distance.

The giant shadow began to release aircraft of some kind from the slots of its flight deck. These aircraft turned out to be pinwheels, rotating as they homed in to their targets and explode on proximity. Weaving through the hail of shells was already troublesome on its own, but there was no escaping with how fast those things moved.

"Inazuma, access your shield's console," the commander said. "Deploy some decoy mines."

"C-Copy that!" Inazuma swerved around a huge water spout as she activated the shield's interface. "U-Um, wh-what should I do next?"

"Shoot the mines in the air. As many as you can."

She found the trigger mechanism next to the slot's hand guard and aimed her shield's cannon upwards. Cylindrical shells climbed up to the sky as she held the trigger, exploding into several mechanical tufts. The pinwheels homed in towards the tufts, detonating harmlessly in the air. Inazuma thought of firing the mines next to the enemy. When she did, the tufts triggered a huge chain reaction on the pinwheel swarm, damaging a good portion of the flight deck.

Once again, they were back on the offensive as their shots chipped away at the creature's body. And just like before, it was a systematic yet simple process—they took out its field generators, then its weapons systems. After that, an all-out offensive to crush it completely before it recovers again.

"This is—" Hyuuga grunted as a clang reverberated in the background. "This girl is at least battleship level."

"Can you take her out?" Einrost asked.

"I cannot say for sure. She's holding back still."

"Having trouble with her?" Murakumo said. "We'll wrap this up quick, so save some for me."

As the Umibozu began to disintegrate, the other girls trained their guns on the smaller abyssal girl. "Nagara, Kumano!" Maya shouted. "On my count!"

Concentrating their attacks on a single point, the abyssal girl's field shattered into countless fragments. She raised her hand to deploy another field, but Murakumo already closed in with her naginata in hand.

The destroyer leaned to her right as a shell ran past her. She swung her weapon from below, disarming the abyssal girl. Her follow up struck air as the enemy hopped to the side. Sendai had anticipated the maneuver as she rushed in and kicked the shorter girl from behind. The fleet girl inside the broken pod fell off.

Sendai scooped up the unconscious fleet girl and saluted at the skidding abyssal girl. "She'll be a nice souvenir, thankyouverymuch!"

"For goodness sake, you could have destroyed the other pod!" Kumano said.

"Wait." Sendai snapped her energy-charged fingers. "All yours, sis!"

As if on cue, a small explosion erupted from the second pod. Jintsuu retrieved the captive fleet girl and skirted away from the still reeling abyssal operator. Murakumo wasted no time launching her own shells as she approached the enemy once more.

She swung her naginata in a wide arc, cleaving the thick smoke cloud in half. A violent clash of energy exploded and Murakumo was sent flying away. She regained her balance in the air, creating a big splash as she landed near Kumano. "That girl's getting on my nerves!"

The abyssal operator, standing on her feet once again, raised her hand and conjured a smaller field, but she didn't bother moving this time. "Giving up now?" Maya said. "Be a good girl, throw that gun away, and maybe we'll go easy on you."

She smiled. "So... how good are you at dodging?"

"Quick enough to dodge your pathetic shots," Murakumo replied.

"Wonderful. We'll see about that."

"All you did is hide in those fields of yours. What could you possibly—"

"W-Wait a moment," Kumano said. "Something's amiss—the mag-ion levels have stabilized all of a sudden."

"Everyone," Aster said, "we have detected multiple airborne signatures. N-No, this is a—"

The abyssal girl giggled. "Good luck."

Inazuma sensed an intense surge of energy from above, but it was too late.

A burst of bright orange overwhelmed her senses and she was sent back by the ensuing blast. She looked up to see more fireballs headed their way. Other than her shield, Inazuma quickly recalled her equipment and submerged underwater. An explosion directly above her made her reel further downward, pain jolting every limb of her body.

Another wave of shells struck the area. Then, another. Two full minutes of unbridled explosions passed.

She activated her emergency floater, quickly sending her back to the surface. She gasped for air and relaxed as her friends checked in through the comm link one by one. She let out a deep sigh when everyone was accounted for. Exhaustion was taking over her body, but it seemed like the danger already passed.

Yurie let out a sigh. "Too close. Pursuit teams are notified and are en route to the source of the artillery attack."

"Uhh, guys," Nagara said, "a little help here?"

"What's wrong?" Maya asked. "You sounded pretty upbeat just a minute ago."

"I lost half of my left arm, I can't feel my legs, and I'm having tunnel vision for some reason. Now you tell me!"

"Huh, you'll live," Murakumo replied.

"I-I'm literally sinking right now! Help!"

"Wait, she's serious," Kumano said.

Maya scoffed. "Shouting over the comms won't help you. Activate your floater and—"

"That's the problem. My floater's busted!"

"And that's just convenient. Hold on, we're coming."

Straining her senses, Inazuma deactivated her floater and searched for Nagara with the others. Fortunately, it didn't take them a minute to find the light cruiser struggling against the rising waves. She choked the moment she saw what Nagara had become.

Most of her core structure was already gone; her legs were riddled with shrapnel. Blood freely flowed down the curves of her face.

She was a bloodied mess. And yet, she cracked a smile as if none of those things were of any consequence. Leaning on her side was the same fleet girl from the automaton's core. She was unconscious, but she didn't seem to have any life-threatening injuries. Or at least nothing worse than the wounds Nagara suffered. The two of them were loaded on a spare floater. "You pea-brained idiot!" Maya said. "You could've died!"

"Someone had to. I don't want to come back empty-handed," Nagara said. "And for Yayoi's sake..."

"We do have to give her credit," Murakumo said. "Surprisingly gutsy of you to pull a stunt like that."

Yurie sighed again. "Good work, everyone."

* * *

They returned to headquarters the following day and Inazuma soon realized that their encounter with the unidentified enemies had spread throughout the branch. All the chatter confused her, but it suddenly made sense after hearing the stories of other patrol units in the meeting earlier.

From all the responding fleets involved in the recent attacks, they were the only unit who had a fighting chance against those unidentified abyssal ships.

According from the earlier reports, the other unidentified enemies were more ruthless and efficient compared to those two abyssal girls. They struck their unsuspecting targets quick and those who weren't taken were effectively neutralized. By the time trackers teams arrived, the trail was already cold for them to take the risk venturing further south.

As per the branch administration's suggestion, it was originally planned to contain the prior incidents within the parties involved to avoid unnecessary commotion, but the unexpected rise of enemy activity led them to completely scrap the idea. The lists on both sides were only getting bigger and they had to keep the branch's morale healthy in times like this. But it went without saying that the victims wanted payback and they would stop at nothing to apprehend the group behind the attacks.

In the close debriefing that followed, the commander shared further details about those unidentified abyssal creatures and the nature of automatons. His disclosure was a breakthrough of its own, but if the commander knew how to deal with those enemies firsthand, why did he keep insisting that they should retreat and leave their captured comrades behind?

And to make things even more difficult, the Chief Officer didn't question where and how he got such invaluable information. Inazuma, along with Murakumo and Maya, kept exchanging confused looks as the session progressed. It was like they were being left out in the discussion while more unanswered questions were thrown into the pile. This frustrated Akatsuki who basically forced herself into the meeting, but learned nothing substantial about the commander himself. Skepticism filled the room, no doubt about it, but the dismissive attitude of the officers felt... scripted. Or were they holding back for some reason?

Inazuma couldn't make heads or tails of such a strange situation, but one thing was certain though: the commander was still leaving out a few important pieces. The fleet girl they rescued from the automaton could provide vital insight on the matter, but they had to wait for her to regain her strength before doing so.

All in all, it was a huge headache. Inazuma squeezed her eyelids twice and she found herself staring at a lavender-colored curtain. She turned her head slightly to the left and she noticed a concerned Akatsuki looking at her.

"Hey, spacing out again?" she asked.

"Um, sorry about that..."

"It would be rude to interrupt you concentrating like that. What's bothering you this time?"

Inazuma lightly tapped her cheeks. "Um, it's about the commander—"

"That's all we talked about all day! You're just giving yourself a hard time!"

"W-Well... do you still hate him?"

"No, I don't."

"Really?"

"I don't hate him because of the information that he's keeping from us. I'm angry because he doesn't even trust us." Their eyes locked. "You have the right to be upset, you know?"

Inazuma looked down. "I'm not sure..."

"I want to trust him like you always tell me, but how am I supposed to do that when he's the one keeping everything to himself?"

The idle chatter from nearby partitions suddenly died. Inazuma couldn't blame them—she was at a loss for words as well. She would often voice her concerns whenever the commander did something without consulting her. But the situation now was different.

Her voice lowered. "Just where did he get that kind of intel? Our own intelligence staff is working day and night just to get some leads on those new abyssal ships, but he just talked about them like it was already common knowledge."

"I just went with the flow that time, but he did surprise me when he finally gave us instructions."

Akatsuki paused, deep in thought. "I don't want to make shallow assumptions right now, but he's leaving us with a few options here."

"What do you mean?"

She raised an index finger. "Imagine someone who's keeping a lot of secrets they don't want others to know. A person like that will quickly cover their tracks at the slightest hint of apprehension." Resting both hands on her lap, she began to clench them. "Not him though—he's doing the exact opposite! It's like he wanted everyone to be suspicious of him!"

"I think we can only clear this up if we ask him directly about it."

"What makes you think that will work?"

"It wouldn't hurt to try."

Akatsuki shrugged as she forced a smile. "Yeah, I guess so."

Inazuma checked the room's wall clock. "Sorry, I should be going now. If you need something, send me a message, okay?"

"Don't worry." She raised her translucent, ghostly arm in the sling. "Be sure to get some sleep too."

"I will."

Wishing everyone a good night's sleep, she left the room without making a sound. Outside the rehabilitation quarters, she noticed Hatsuyuki standing at the end of the hallway. She came up to her side, but Hatsuyuki didn't give any form of acknowledgement as her eyes observed the serene waters outside. Inazuma did the same, clearing her mind as she took in the chilly breeze.

Hatsuyuki finally spoke. "Is she sleeping now?"

"Um, probably. Are you worried about her?"

"She's annoying, but... I'm going to watch over her tonight."

"Really? That would be great."

"Commander's orders."

"But please... don't fight, okay?"

"I'll try." Hatsuyuki paused as she lowered her head. "Inazuma, am I a... liability in our fleet?"

Inazuma was taken aback. "N-Not at all! Why would you even think of that?"

"You're too kind. Akatsuki always calls me a good-for-nothing slacker."

"Akatsuki's mood hasn't gotten any better since the other week. She has plenty of things on her plate right now, so I hope you can understand her."

"Yeah... but she's not far off from the truth."

"Don't say that. She might be harsh at times, but she means well."

Hatsuyuki narrowed her eyes, staring at her feet. "Do you think she actually cares about how I think or feel?"

Inazuma pursed her lips. "That's hard to say. She just wanted the best for our fleet. She just doesn't want anything bad happen to us."

"I'm still... having doubts. Seeing you guys work hard, it feels that I'm letting you all down. I want to do better, but I'm confused on where to go from here."

"I'm like that too. That feeling of uncertainty is always there, but I don't think it's a bad thing to have."

Hatsuyuki tilted her head slightly. "He said the same thing."

"E-Eh? The commander?"

"He said that it was okay to feel helpless sometimes. I still don't get what he meant, but hearing him say that helped me calm down." She paused for a second. "Now... I think I'm starting to understand."

"The commander has his share of uncertainties too."

"Yeah, I noticed..."

"Um, that's why we need to help each other more. You don't have to shoulder your problems alone. You can always us ask if something is bothering you."

"Maybe I shouldn't..."

Inazuma shook her head. "You don't have to hold back. I'm sure they would be happy to help."

"Okay, I... I'll try." Hatsuyuki looked at her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to keep you here. You're going back to the office, right?"

"H-How did you know?"

"You're always busy."

Inazuma giggled. "No worries, I'm not in a hurry this time. See you later."

A couple of steps away and Hatsuyuki spoke again. "Inazuma?"

"Yes?"

Hatsuyuki turned around and gave her a small smile. "Thank you."

Inazuma returned a wider smile. "Don't mention it. We're friends, right?"

* * *

When she got back to the office, the commander was nowhere to be found. She didn't have anything important to do as she already finished most of her paperwork on the trip back to Auspice, but she felt the need to do something regardless. Something worthwhile, at least. After a bit of deliberation, she settled on organizing their workspaces. Not much to work on this task though as both of them were organized and tidy with their office materials.

But she did find quite a few interesting items while she was doing a bit of cleaning: a cookbook, a pair of empty mag-ion cells, a video game case, and a couple of leaflets from the various establishments operating in the economic district. There were always something new to look at every other day for some reason.

Finishing her work, she decided to take a break and leave the office for some refreshments. As she turned around the corner, she bumped into Fumizuki, who was holding a yellow folder. "Ah, Manager!"

"Fumizuki, have you seen Commander? He hasn't returned in the office yet."

"Yup," she said, pointing down the hallway. "We just passed each other just now. And oh! He wanted to pass these papers to you and—"

Inazuma grabbed the other girl's wrist and started walking. "S-Sorry, that can wait. Did he tell you where he's going?"

"He's going out for a bit. What's wrong, Manager?"

"I just wanted to talk with him. I'm worried..."

"Yeah, he looks stressed out and it's bothering me too." Fumizuki nodded. "I'll help you, okay?"

"Thank you. Let's go!"

They exited from the executive wing's ground floor lobby and into the garden lounge. As they walked around, Lieutenant Harline noticed them and waved at Inazuma. "Oh, fancy meeting you here," she said as she approached the pair. "Out for a stroll?"

Inazuma glanced left and right. "Um, good evening. We're in a hurry right now."

Her expression soured. "So, you're after that commander of yours, I take it?"

She stopped as she looked up to the officer. "E-Eh? Did you know where he went?"

"I've told you several times that he's not an officer worthy of your talent." She pointed towards the armory compound's entrance. "As always, he acted like I never called out to him."

"Erm, thank you. We'll be going now."

"This is weird," Kongou said, appearing from their left. "You two are usually together. It's _that_ kind of quarrel, am I right?"

"Um... what now?"

"In the field of lovey-dovey relationships, I'm always right!"

"Huh? Lovey-dovey?"

The battleship leaned closer, grinning. "Oh, you don't have to let me spell it out for you."

Inazuma eventually caught on. "I-It's not like that!" She frowned while her cheeks felt hot. "I just want to talk and clarify a few details with him. I want to set things straight before it could cause further misunderstandings between—"

Harline and Kongou gasped and exchanged looks. The former's face lit up in a fiery rage. "You should have confided in us sooner. He'll pay for this dearly."

"Eh? What are you—"

"Wait a moment! We can't just jump to conclusions, Admiral! Give him the benefit of the doubt at least!"

The officer considered this for a moment. "It's decided: we will have to gather evidence to prove his treacherous ways. We might even catch him red-handed!"

"Ooh! A stakeout? Count me in!" Kongou said. "And we should start right now! The sooner we solve Inazuma's heartache, the better!"

Inazuma hopped in place. "Hawawa! Please listen to me!"

"I don't really get what's going on at this point," Fumizuki said, rubbing the back of her neck, "but I'll come along with you guys."

Harline took point as they entered the compound. She asked them to wait behind the small trees and bushes lining up the pathway while she surveyed the factory up close. After a while, the commander left the building and disappeared through the west exit of the compound, leading them to the garden overlooking the sea. Inazuma held her breath as he suddenly stopped and turned around, scanning the surroundings with his eyes.

"D-Did he notice?" Kongou whispered.

"Hope not," Harline replied.

He climbed down the steps and headed to the nearby convenience store. They sneaked at the side entrance and hid between the aisles, peeking around the corner as he moved around with a basket in hand. "Hold on," the officer said. "I find it strange that he would go all the way here just to buy food items."

Fumizuki shook her head. "They sell a lot of yummy snacks in here, so it's not strange at all if you ask me."

"You piqued my interest!" Kongou said. "Any recommendations?"

"Wait here." Fumizuki handed the folder to Kongou. Then, she left the aisle and ran towards the commander. "Hi, Commander!"

Stifling a cry, Harline grabbed the battleship's arm. "What is she doing?! She'll get us compromised!"

"A frontal assault!" Kongou clenched her free hand. "What a spunky girl!"

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Oh, just looking around," Fumizuki replied. "Well, my friend is asking for goodies that you can't find in our place. I wanna buy some for her."

He placed a hand on his waist as he thought to himself. "Since you already caught me here, might as well buy some for you guys."

"Yay!" She took the basket from him and disappeared into the aisle beside them. "Let's go!"

The two spent the next ten minutes filling up the basket with all sorts of snacks. After paying for the things they bought, the commander quickly left the store. Fumizuki skipped to the group with a plastic bag, smiling. "We bought a lot!"

Harline put her hands on Fumizuki's shoulders. "You're staying close to us from now on."

"Why? He doesn't know that we're following him anyway, so..."

"Can I help you?" a convenience store staff asked. "We're having a three-day promo on local treats and—oh, is that you Fumizuki?"

"Hi, Naka!" Fumizuki took the folder again, shoving it inside the bag. "Sorry, we're in a stakeout mission right now."

"Sounds fun! Say my thanks to your commander, okay? A valued regular like him is always welcome here!"

"So, he does come here often," Harline said. "Why?"

"Um, to buy snacks?"

"Admiral, stop getting distracted!" Kongou pointed outside. "He's getting away!"

Harline's pigtails bounced wildly as she turned her head. "You're one to talk!"

The commander approached one of the cabs stationed in the parking lot. He pulled the passenger's door and entered the car. Harline glanced at Inazuma. "Where do you think he's going this time?"

"I don't know."

"This is why I should be your commander—I would never consider shady things, much less act them out, behind your back!"

Fumizuki raised her hand. "But what we're doing right now—"

"...is perfectly acceptable! Let's get a cab ourselves and catch up with him!"

More than a third of the hour was spent just for them to get past the harbor areas. Still congested as ever, with all the trailer trucks and the like around, but everything else was a breeze once they got out of those roads. The commander's cab pulled over to the shuttle area and he walked further in the economic district. They did the same, making sure to not lose sight of him.

From shadow to shadow, they watched his every step. And as he walked around the busy district, it was becoming apparent that he didn't have a particular destination in mind. He would often stop in front of a store for a minute before moving on to the next. "Seriously? Where is he going?!" Harline said. "We've been walking for an hour now!"

"Hush, Admiral!" Kongou said, opening a pack of chocolate croissant. "He might hear us!"

"Maybe he's window shopping?" Fumizuki pointed at the banner displayed on the opposite block. "There's a sale coming up next week."

"But you know," Harline said, "I haven't gotten the chance to visit this area since we arrived here. There are plenty of shops open around this hour too."

"Tourists alone are enough to keep everything up until the early hours, or so I heard." Kongou turned to her right and swallowed. "They're even having seasonal activities and events around here."

"Too bad that they have to postpone the festival." Fumizuki nibbled on a rice cake. "Shtupid abeeshals."

"By the way, do you have some change, Admiral? I have to get something to wash this down."

Harline grumbled as she reached into her pockets. "Ugh, buy me some iced co—wait, he's running! We might be close!"

"What's over there?"

"Um, the public marina," Inazuma replied. "Still, I have no idea why he would go there in the first place."

"Well, we're about to find out soon."

Passing through the opposite side of the district, the marina revealed itself to them from their vantage point; its complex walkways and platforms crawling towards the sea was always a sight to admire. Their railings had ornamental lanterns and plants affixed to them, giving off a subtle yet sophisticated tone to the area. Patrons moved to and from several establishments and attractions that scattered the place. It was a peaceful scenery, only slightly marred with the fact that it was also vulnerable to the dangers lurking beyond the horizon.

The commander didn't enter the marina and instead continued to walk along the shoreline. They followed him until they ended up in a small fishing pier not too far away. Inazuma heard a sigh from Harline as he stopped next to a rundown platform. He walked next to a lamppost and waited there, checking his phone every now and then.

The Navy officer motioned at them to take cover behind an upturned fishing boat. "This better be the last stop or I'll rush in and kick him into the water."

"Huh? What's that?" Fumizuki asked.

A figure was approaching from the sea. Upon reaching the shadowy parts of the pier, it ran to the spot where the commander stood and made a quick bow.

Kongou perked up. "Hm, I've seen her before because I sure can recognize those huge knockers! I think they call her Urakaze."

_The Kagerou-class destroyer Urakaze._ Inazuma only knew of one other Urakaze who sells food items in the headquarters' central lounge. She was one of the rarer faces in the base too.

The commander handed over his plastic bag, which the destroyer reluctantly took. They chatted for a while, with the blue-haired fleet girl occasionally gesturing towards the sea.

"Oh... did she dye her hair?" the battleship asked. "It looks lighter and glossier from her usual style. Even her eyes seem a bit off too."

Harline gritted her teeth. "Tch—that two-timer!"

"T-Two-timer?" Inazuma repeated.

"Huh? I thought you two are... you know... dating?"

"E-Eh?! Where did that come from? N-No, that's not true!"

"Whoa, really?" Kongou snatched the secretary's right hand. "Explain this beautiful ring of yours. We've seen the records too, so you can't deny it!"

Inazuma looked down. "R-Records? It's just—"

"Come on. Everyone knows already, so why try to deny it?"

"E-Everyone?!"

"Still, you're too kind to be with someone like him," Harline said. "You shouldn't—"

"Cut it out, you guys," Fumizuki said as she stepped in between Inazuma and Kongou. "Stop bullying her or I'll tell Akatsuki!"

The officer and the battleship immediately zipped their mouths, exchanging nervous looks.

"W-Wait, where did they go?" Kongou asked as she pointed at the now empty pier.

Harline ran out of their hiding place, prompting everyone to do the same. "Impossible!" she said. "They were just chatting there a little while ago!"

The battleship. "They can teleport? Amazing!"

"Don't be ridiculous! You should have noticed the other fleet girl leaving!"

"That's the weird part! Her signature just went off my radar!"

"But what if... they were never there to begin with?" Fumizuki stuck the tip of her tongue out. "Kidding."

"Ignoring that part, we lost him for good this time." Harline crossed her arms. "Take responsibility, Kongou."

"W-Why me?"

She sighed. "But he couldn't have gone far yet. We should hurry and—"

_"Maybe I can help."_

The four of them slowly turned around. Inazuma's heart jumped as she instinctively stepped back. "C-Commander?"

His eyes narrowed, staring at Harline. "What are you all doing here?"

"Well, I was just treating your girls to a late-night cafe in the area. Nothing suspicious or anything like that!"

"A cafe? All the way out here?"

"W-We caught sight of you going into these parts and we just followed. After all," Harline pulled Inazuma between them, "she's worried about you! You owe her an apology, you double-crossing bastard."

The commander's glare was too painful to look at. "That's one pathetic excuse. Are you honestly expecting me to take the bite?"

Harline snarled at him. "What is it to you if we followed you here anyway? We can do whatever we want." She narrowed her eyes. "Don't you dare act like you have the authority over us."

To their surprise, he simply closed his eyes and smiled. "You're right, but you don't have to be that protective. I was just asking."

"A-Are you mocking me?!"

He glanced at Inazuma. "Don't be out for too long. Command might summon us again tomorrow."

"Y-Yeah, I know," Inazuma replied.

"I'll be going back now."

"Um, take care."

He turned around and started walking. No one uttered a single word as they watched him disappear in the distance.

"Shoot... now what?" Kongou asked, breaking the standstill.

"Hmph, this is a big waste of our time." Harline stretched her arms up to the cloudy night sky. "Let's hit that one cafe we saw earlier. My treat."


	6. Barring Crossroads

**05—Barring Crossroads**

* * *

Time seemed to have slowed down to a crawl in the past few days. Taking into account the recent abyssal threat, the branch administration had issued a directive to limit the number of units leaving the island's territorial waters. That would include pathfinding units usually venturing inside and past miasma clusters, placing them on the back burner for the time being. Until they had a good grasp of the precarious situation they found themselves in, unnecessary risks were obviously out of the question—even forward units were only dispatched under combined task forces when gathering information further into the sea.

And despite the persisting disputes between the two groups, the Naval Domain's presence was a much needed help in maintaining the island's perimeter integrity. Some thought they were only there just because they had key assets in the island, which also allowed them to keep a close eye on the different operations conducted by the Maritime Peacekeepers in their jurisdiction. But should Auspice fall in an event of an Abyssal invasion, its downfall would trigger a devastating chain reaction throughout Caffelatte. None of them wanted such a disastrous scenario to even take place, and setting their differences aside for this endeavor was a truly appreciated initiative, if not an already predictable arrangement.

Maybe... just maybe that it could spark more collaborative efforts in the future? Well, probably not by a long shot, but a start is a start!

And on the subject of beginnings, Inazuma was at a loss on getting new material regarding the incidents, which circled on without end inside her head. Finding the right opportunity to talk with the commander was getting slimmer too as the days passed by; he was always pulled into different meetings and assemblies across different departments. And even after attending a whole day of these sessions, she and Akatsuki were convinced that they wouldn't gain anything more substantial than what they had already worked on.

But one thing was certain at least: he had to be involved with the abductions, including the recent appearances of these so-called automatons. His knowledge on the new threats they were facing surely meant something. As for the hows and whys, they just had to keep their eyes peeled for new developments around them—an approach that Akatsuki didn't want to rely on, but it would have to suffice as they worked through their usual routine for now.

Like a leaf on a winding stream, Inazuma was uncertain where the currents would take them at this point. The fleet girl that they rescued from their last encounter was beyond their reach as well. Without proper authorization, they wouldn't be allowed to step into the factory sector where the fleet girl was kept, much less interrogate her about the recent abductions. Running out of options, Inazuma opted to visit the neighboring room and relayed their predicament to Choukai, who was recently moving several articles from a fancy-looking cabinet together with Shiranui and Kongou.

The heavy cruiser walked towards a desk and grabbed the network panel's receiver:

"Miss Minako, it seems that they want to access the observation room and—yes... you will? Right now? I see... thank you very much."

Wild speculations occupied Inazuma's mind as they were asked to stay in the room for a while. All became clear when Commodore Minako showed up several minutes later and held up an authorization card in her free hand.

To their surprise, the Navy officer had took off to the High Command's office floor and personally requested for their clearance to the factory's observation room. While she wasn't inclined to tell them anything important, it looked like she was actually helping them. No questions or any form of resistance. Her perplexing smile embodied her motives—yet another mystery they had to solve another time. The only thing Inazuma was certain of was her purple-haired friend growing more upset about their pitiful situation.

Uncertainties aside, they couldn't waste this chance either, so they gave their thanks and headed off to the armory compound as fast as their legs would allow them.

As usual, the same fairy custodian from before escorted them through a hallway leading towards the observation room. Fleet girls affiliated to the Naval Domain stood by the entrance, and Inazuma couldn't help but feel intimidated as one of them looked down at her with an incredulous look on her face.

Weren't they informed about this particular arrangement beforehand?

Just to be on the safe side, Inazuma presented their digital pass from her terminal before the guards promptly opened the door for them. Inside, a cylindrical tank sat at one corner of the room full of machinery interconnected by pipes and cables.

The various readings from the large monitor were erratic, fluctuating every now and then. But within the cylinder housing, the fleet girl seemed to be sleeping peacefully, her long ashen hair gently fluttering in the tank's rejuvenating liquids. The surface of her upper torso and shoulders were horribly deformed. Her skin was darkened like charcoal, and it was full of crawling fissures and swollen veins.

When asked about the specifics of the girl's condition, one of the supervising fairies in the room mentioned a familiar name, earning a frown from Akatsuki.

"Huh, not surprised anymore. Wait here."

Listening to the humming sound emanating from the tank was almost hypnotic as Inazuma waited for her friend to return. She sat on a rectangular compartment by the wall and watched the fairies worked in their respective stations, making sure that everything was in optimum condition. In the midst of her idle musing, she noticed Hatsuyuki entering the room, looking a little lost. She called out to her, and the black-haired girl had a relieved look on her face as she hurried to the secretary's side.

More minutes passed before the door opened once again. Akatsuki ran inside with Charm sitting on her shoulder. "Sorry, took me a while to—" Her eyes narrowed the moment she saw Hatsuyuki. "Why are you here?"

The raven-haired girl looked up from her phone with a sour face. "None of your business."

"I don't really care either."

"And why am I even here?" Charm asked. "I know that we're buddies and all, but give me some space too!"

"You're just slacking off in the lobby," Akatsuki replied.

"It almost sounds like you don't want me to rest."

"Enough of this." She pointed at the tank. "Why is she taking so long to recover?"

Charm hovered towards the control platform. "The issue here isn't time. A particular something is interfering with her system—well, it should be obvious by now." She exchanged a few words with another fairy before facing them again. "The transmutation process already reached the ceiling, so she won't turn into some bloodthirsty Irregular hybrid. Well, not in the immediate future at the very least."

"That's a relief," Inazuma replied.

Akatsuki knocked on the tank's glass cover. "But how did she turn out like this? Was it a side effect when she was stuffed inside that automaton?"

"A contributing factor, yes, but the answer is much simpler." Charm flexed her arm. "Modernization, using abyssal ships as supplementary material!"

"Wh-What? Enough of your jokes!" Akatsuki glared at the fairy. "Is that even possible?"

Charm only stared at them with a huge smile on her face. "You're welcome to try if you're that desperate to know."

"Well, only if you do it first!"

"I would if I were a fleet girl!" The fairy shrugged. "Say, are you girls familiar how _foie gras_ is made?" Akatsuki and Inazuma looked at each other, shaking their heads. Charm puffed her chest out. "Well, the general idea's the same!"

"What is this 'fuwaa graa' you're talking about?" Akatsuki pulled her hand close to her chin. "Some kind of food? It sounds fancy too."

Hatsuyuki began to tremble in her seat, eyes locked on her phone. Curious, Inazuma leaned closer as she skimmed through a snippet displayed on the screen. "Ducks... force-feeding... fatty liver?!"

The fairy wore a pleasant expression, wiping the drool leaking out of her mouth. "It tastes great by the way, and I personally prefer goose liver."

"Th-That's terrible!" Inazuma said. "H-How could anyone do such cruel things to ducks?! And to do the same to fleet girls is just—"

"Full stop, turn around, and don't look back! We are encroaching uncharted territory, ladies. Please don't give me ideas."

Akatsuki snatched the fairy from the platform. "If you don't stop your senseless babbling, I'll pinch your head off."

Charm looked at Inazuma. "Oh dear, she's crankier than usual today. Is she trying to emulate those hot-blooded girls outside?"

"Stretch a lady's patience too thin or you're going to regret it dearly."

"Hey, getting ahead of ourselves, are we? I never mentioned that it was a completely identical process!"

"Then stop being so vague!"

"But the comparison is apt, mind you. Under normal circumstances, a fleet girl can only generate and control a set amount of mag-ions in her body. In her case," the fairy pointed at the tank, "she was forced to consume abyssal ships specifically to get around those limits. Of course, the body has to compensate for the extra volume of energy, but the results vary and can get really nasty. Usually the latter."

"What kind of results?" Hatsuyuki asked.

"Mutation is always a given with AM saturation." Charm held up two fingers. "She's at Category 2, in case you're wondering."

Akatsuki released the fairy and crossed her arms. "What makes you so sure?"

"Ethical issues aside, experimental modernization procedures like they used on her have been going on for about a decade now. Maybe longer if we take into account the success rate for these new generation of Irregulars."

Inazuma's eyes widened. "So... you're saying that—"

"Well, that should be the case, right? We do have a live, breathing specimen right here." Charm took a seat behind the control panel. "And the fact that she doesn't go berserk is certainly very intriguing."

"Yeah, she seemed in full control during the times she was conscious," Akatsuki said. "But I remember that mutated fleet girls are way different."

"Oh, so you noticed? It's probably because she's never meant to be deployed in combat—her accelerated production of mag-ions have better uses, see?" Charm stretched her arms and began tinkering on the computer panel. "For a tiny carrier girl, her energy output is just bonkers!"

Exhaust units of a nearby generator block hissed to life as the pipes connecting to the tank began to glow. The generator's half-empty energy cell was filled in mere seconds, even though the machine was only extracting the fleet girl's ambient mag-ions.

"It's just like what the commander said," Inazuma said. "She really was used as a power source for the automaton..."

Charm clapped twice. "All coming together now? She's far from those documented hybrids of the past, but they're pretty much in the same vein."

"They've never learned, huh?" Akatsuki clenched the hem of her skirt. "Those idiots..."

"Those who thirst for knowledge and progress can't be stopped so easily. Their tenacity is quite admirable, don't you think?"

"Is that... true? The Navy is still experimenting on fleet girls?" Inazuma found it hard to believe—it was already history and yet...

Charm shrugged as she raised a finger. "Keep in mind that the Naval Domain is a vast governing body—a super entity that basically controls the world's maritime affairs. They won't repeat the same mistake as before, but not everyone has to agree with it."

"Still... why are they fighting with the Abyssals if they were created by the Navy in the first place?"

"They simply went rogue like the rest. It's no surprise they're causing trouble out there." Akatsuki turned to the fairy. "Anyway, why are you telling this now?"

"You ask too many questions," Charm said. "If you have a high enough clearance to access this room, I don't really see why I shouldn't tell you."

"From all the people who would actually—" She shook her head and sighed. "So, umm... thank you for the info."

"What is this? Why are you thanking me?!" Charm gasped. "Don't tell me you caught something strange when you fought those weirdos!"

"N-No!" Akatsuki's expression became sour. "I'm just tired of this whole charade. Do we really have to beg in front of everyone just for them to tell us anything?"

The fairy smiled. "That's what I like about you girls—your desire for the truth will come a long way!"

"On behalf of our fleet, I give you my sincerest gratitude." Akatsuki made a deep bow. "We really appreciate your help."

Sweat drops formed on the fairy's face. "Y-You're scaring me right now."

"Ugh, can't you just keep that to yourself?"

"Before I forget, I wanna hear your thoughts about those new abyssal ships you encountered earlier—I already asked the other girls, but it doesn't hurt to hear more firsthand accounts."

"I was just about to mention that—they have mag-ion signatures similar to us fleet girls, but that's about it. Well, more of a mishmash of different energy signatures."

"As I thought... they must have found a more efficient modernization method over the years to make the project viable again."

"Why are you mumbling like that?"

Charm held up a palm. "Hush, I'm delicately organizing my thoughts right now, so if you don't mind... give me a moment."

"Umm... so Irregulars are fleet girls that have Abyssal characteristics and traits?" Inazuma asked. "I'm still confused about the term."

She suddenly snapped her fingers. "Yep! And vice versa!"

"W-What?" Akatsuki said.

"Why not? I don't have proof at the moment, but it's totally possible!" Charm stretched her arms out. "Two sides of the same coin, light and shadow, yadda yadda."

"You're pulling out theories now?"

"Beats an empty foundation, wouldn't you say?" Charm's hands became a blur as she tapped away at the keyboard panel. As the rhythmic clicking stopped, two familiar images appeared on the overhead monitor. "From the data that I've gathered so far, I'm already convinced that these two fresh faces are Irregulars, but there's still one basic detail I have yet to figure out."

Inazuma stared at the screen, recalling their encounter with the two unidentified abyssal ships. "What do you mean?"

"Their base form, of course. Or rather, what exactly are they before they were subjected in dozens of experimental patchwork."

"Wait," Akatsuki said, "are you saying that they were one of us too?"

"A result of... mutation in its later stages?" Hatsuyuki said.

"But it's possible that they're just new abyssal ships after all."

"Or maybe abyssal ships of the Irregular variant!" Charm said.

"Isn't that more or less the same thing? Ugh, this is so confusing!"

The fairy typed some more on the keyboard. "Oh, right! Since we're on the subject of mutation, you should definitely see these."

Gruesome images of mutated fleet girls flashed one after another. They were almost indistinguishable from their former appearances. If it weren't for the captions that accompanied each picture, she would have to look out for the tiniest details to properly identify them.

Inazuma choked. She tried to steady her breathing as nausea was getting the best of her. Akatsuki held her hand and launched a glare to the fairy. "T-Turn that off now!"

With a single button press, the horrific slideshow finally ended. Charm stood up from her seat and walked to the edge of the platform. "What they showed on mass media is just the tip of our special ice cream cone. Rightfully so, I might add."

"E-Enough for today! This is more than what we've bargained for!"

"Fine by me, but there's a lot to learn in this topic. I'll make a special exception for you girls, so if you want to drop by later for another lecture, don't be shy! We're learning buddies now!"

The three destroyers shook their heads together. With a defeated expression on her face, Charm looked at Inazuma. "How's that ring treating you, by the way?"

Inazuma focused her thoughts as she drew energy within her mind. She directed it to her hand, causing it to glow pink. "I've been practicing during my free time, but I think I've reached its limit."

"Well, that's all the enhancer can give you, methinks!"

"I thought it was supposed to be more than that?" Akatsuki said.

"Yup, but that's just how we should expect it to work. It's a slow roast from here and I'll be savoring every second of this wonderful project of mine."

"Stop being creepy." She gave Inazuma a worried look. "As long as nothing bad happens to her, then it's probably okay..."

"I'd appreciate it if you stopped being so skeptical about it." Charm shoved her hands in her coat pockets. "Any more questions?"

Inazuma bowed. "Um, thank you very much. And sorry for troubling you so suddenly like this."

* * *

The trio went their separate ways after leaving the observation room. Inazuma had other plans in mind, but she went back to their office as quickly as possible. Hatsuyuki had told her that the commander looked pale the last time she saw him and it instantly rang the alarm bells in her head. It was a feeling too strong for her to just ignore.

The wall panel indicated that he wasn't there, but she knew better. "Um, can I enter?"

"Can you come back later? I just… I don't feel well at the moment."

Her heart began to race—something was definitely wrong.

She immediately swiped her keycard on the panel and rushed inside. "Commander?!"

One look at him and she could already tell that he was in a lot of pain, his face and neck dripping in cold sweat. In his left hand was an empty mag-ion cell. "H-How are you feeling? W-Wait, I should call—"

He held a palm up. "Just let me rest for a bit."

His voice sounded desperate despite his effort of holding it back. With a sigh, Inazuma couldn't do anything but sit beside him and wait. After a while, his breathing became normal.

"Finally," he said. "Why do I even bother with painkillers?"

"Commander, we should have you checked in the medical bay."

"I'm fine now." He shook his head. "Usually, this only lasts for a minute or two, but..."

"Then, you should rest for the day. We've been busy with all the paperwork and meetings since we got back."

"That's the plan. You girls need to be in top form for tomorrow's op too."

"Yeah, everyone's informed already." An idea sprung up in her head. "Err, can you move away from the wall?"

He had an eyebrow raised for a moment, but he complied anyway. "What's this about?"

Inazuma smiled, cracking her knuckles as she moved behind him. "I may not look like it, but I'm actually good at therapeutic massages. I've been studying different pressure techniques lately too."

"N-Not that I distrust you, but are you sure this is safe?"

"Huh? It's just a massage. Akatsuki always asks me to do this, you know?"

"It's just that us humans are quite fragile compared to you girls."

Inazuma's eyebrow twitched slightly. "Why do you sound scared? I'll start off slow and—" She felt something stiff and rigid on his right shoulder. She could barely make out the shape of it from his jacket, but she could tell that it was firmly attached to this body. _W-What is this?_

She let out a small yelp as he suddenly grabbed her hand and stood up. His piercing stare prevented her from moving another muscle. "On second thought, maybe some other time."

Inazuma frowned. "Okay, but are you sure you're feeling better now?"

"I'll manage."

"That's not convincing." She decided to drop it for now, but there was that other thing she needed to know. She was so sure it would nag her all day if she didn't ask now. "Um, there was something stuck on your shoulder. What is it?"

He took his eyes off Inazuma. "Oh, this?" He patted his shoulder. "It's the mechanical anchor frame for my arm."

"Huh? What for?"

"I can't move my arm properly without it. Have to use one after an accident long ago."

Akatsuki was right yet again: too much information. "I... I never knew about that. Does that mean you could have lost your arm without it?"

He grimaced. "More or less..."

"E-Eh? That's—"

"A-Anyway, it took me about a year to get down the movements naturally and—" His eyebrows crossed. "Why are you making that face? I think it's the better option than a full-on prosthetic arm."

"I... I see." It was her turn to stand up. "It's almost lunch. Do you want to eat in the lounge or in the mess hall?"

"Go ahead. I'll just rest for a bit."

"N-No! Take your lunch first!"

He sighed. "Pushy today too, huh?"

* * *

The rest of the day passed. Inazuma was torn if she should bother the commander again after he attended an emergency conference in the assembly hall. It seemed that her own luck was working against her at the most convenient moments:

When she got the chance to talk to him in the office, she just couldn't muster up the courage to speak up. He noticed her flustered state and pushed her on about it. With her tongue suddenly tied in a knot, she tried to brush off her anxiety and responded with flimsy excuses and half-truths, but he saw through her yet again. Panicking, she excused herself from the room before things went out of hand.

Another miserable defeat, but it was for the best not to cause him more headaches. Unfortunately, she couldn't say the same to herself after all the information she had to process in her head. Just as she had feared, the images Charm showed them did their worse after she tucked herself into bed that night. She resisted their haunting misery for an hour before she broke into tears and threw the covers away. She wished that she could forget about them, but her brain seemed to be quick in imprinting such things into memory.

Some persuasion was in order for her to sleep next to Akatsuki, and she found solace when the purple-haired girl confessed that she found pictures disturbing too. Still, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed crawling into someone else's bed like that—not to mention that she was being a bother so late at night. Akatsuki kept reassuring her that it was okay and their repeated back-and-forth somehow lulled her into sleep, whispering her thank-you as she snuggled close.

First thing in the morning, they made their preparations for a week-long operation out in the sea. Following the branch directive, Yurie and her fleet would accompany them as a single unit. A select few from Einrost's fleet would be joining them as well, but the reason of this strange arrangement eluded her. Asking Einrost himself only left her a teasing remark about the commander.

They boarded the UNV Chariot, a Hunter-class patrol ship, and attended the short briefing with the captain and his crew in the bridge. Afterwards, they set sail and left the launch bay together with the UNV Basilisk. However, the helicopter destroyer would be participating in a different operation and would only accompany the fleet until they reached the first stop of the trip. On the outskirts of Auspice's port, they joined a gathering of ships, which included a cargo ship and three smaller supply vessels.

The voluntary operation they took up was a simple one: escort the supply fleet to Fort Orion, the nearest Navy forward base from Caffelatte's initial cluster chain. Inazuma had heard plenty of rumors about the island, some of which were frightening enough to rival the urban legends of Auspice. Akatsuki, on the other hand, was looking forward to see the island for the first time.

A forward base sitting at the mouth of Abyssal territory must have seen plenty of battles, and it would be a worthwhile learning experience for them to visit the place, especially when they get the chance to mingle with the fleet girls stationed there. Murakumo shared the same sentiment, but she was wondering if they would be given at least the minimum clearance to survey the fort during their downtime. Realizing this, Inazuma convinced herself to forget all the scary stories and focus on the positive stuff.

As for the others, they weren't particularly excited about the operation, but they were interested and contented in the prospect of traveling to a faraway island. And for the first time in a long while, Prinz Eugen and I-8 tagged along with them. If the first few exchanges between them and Murakumo were good enough indication, Inazuma could already tell that their journey would be a lively one. Of course, they could never be so complacent. While those new abyssal ships seemed to have their sights only on fleet girls, there was no telling when and where they might strike again. Constant vigilance could mean the difference between success and failure in this op.

On the second morning of their voyage, they entered Cornille's waters and made their approach to the satellite island's harbor. The cargo-bearing ships headed straight to the loading platforms while their escorts docked on either side of the port proper.

Cornille was one of the bigger islands in Caffelatte's chain, spanning a couple of miles to the north. A strategic waypoint for seafarers, the island's harbor served dozens of ships every day. But today, the entire southern seaboard of the place looked bare and lonely as news of increased enemy activity prevented ships from leaving their respective ports. The seaside district was the complete opposite though, mostly thanks to the tourists who got stranded in the island. In turn, local establishments and shops had their hands full with the surge of potential customers moving to and fro the area.

Chariot was moored next to a wooden pier, and as soon as the folding ramp touched the platform, several security personnel boarded the ship for inspection. Since Inazuma and the others weren't allowed to leave the ship yet, they went to the upper deck and observed the scenery around them.

Fusou gasped as her eyes locked on a girl standing at the sea wall. It turned out that the girl was the battleship Yamashiro, staring at their direction. She waved at them and Fusou returned the gesture with a smile. But just then, another Fusou approached the short-haired battleship from behind and tapped her on the shoulder. Both shared a hearty laugh as they walked away from the shore.

Clutching the rail guard, Fusou let out a long sigh. Fumizuki patted her shoulder. "There, there..."

"It would be selfish of me to ask, but is the commander considering to construct another fleet girl for our unit?"

"Not happening. We can barely save up resources as it is." Akatsuki glared at her feet. "Then there's the clause with capital ships that we need to deal with if we did get one."

"I see... I apologize for my rudeness. Thinking about it now, Sendai was the first and only fleet girl constructed under our unit."

"Well, that makes me second place," Fumizuki said. "Manager even cried that time."

"Speaking of which, do everyone find it odd that she is quite detached from everybody?"

"M-Me?" Inazuma said.

Fusou shook her head. "Sendai's friendly, but she spends most of her time alone. Even in her free time, she always has a way to excuse herself from everyone."

"Maybe she's just like that," Fumizuki replied. "She loves the night too, so we don't get to hang out with her much."

"What do you think, Jintsuu?"

The light cruiser assumed a pensive expression as she put a hand on her cheek. "Her quirky tendencies aside, it does bother me too."

"You're not hiding something from us, are you?" Akatsuki asked.

Jintsuu paused for a moment. "She told me about a few things, but I have this feeling that there's a deeper meaning behind them."

"She is special in a way."

All eyes went to Hatsuyuki.

"Special?" Akatsuki had an eyebrow raised. "Hmph, like how she was turned into an errand girl for him?"

Hatsuyuki simply scoffed. "Have you forgotten how she was constructed?"

They shared a passing moment of silence. Then, a gasp came out of Akatsuki. "I can't believe I almost forgot about that." She grabbed Inazuma's hand. "She might give us the answers we need!"

They went to the ship's aft where they found Sendai having a pleasant nap under the morning sun. "Err, please wake up," Akatsuki said. "We need to ask a few important things from you."

Sendai's only response was the sound of her own peaceful breathing.

Sighing, she put her hands over the cruiser's eyelids. "It's night. Wakey-wakey."

"Mmm, I can still feel the sun... maybe another ten hours—"

"H-Hey, that's just slacking off now."

"I'll try my best later."

Akatsuki's eyelid began to twitch. "That's it. Wake up now or I'll push you off the deck."

"Whoa, that's extreme." Yawning, Sendai slowly pushed herself up from the blanket. She sat cross-legged and stretched her arms. "What's up?"

"What kind of relationship do you have with the commander?"

"Huh? We're friends, I guess? Why do you—"

"No, no! I mean, he's often sending you out to do little errands for him. Why?"

"Eh, we've been here before. Are you starting to doubt me too?"

"I happened to miss one crucial detail, but now it all makes sense."

Sendai's expression stiffened. "And that would be?"

"If there's one person who should know him better than everybody else, it's you."

Sendai had a grave expression on her face, but only for a moment as it was quickly replaced with a goofy smile. "Come on, cut me some slack! Is that really the first question you have to ask after waking up someone?"

"What are you—"

"Won't you ask me if I had a good night sleep? I was expecting the usual greetings too. Well, anything that would brighten up the day of any normal per—"

Akatsuki glared at her. "Are you done fooling around?"

"Sheesh, fine. Ever since that last time you chewed me out about it, I've been trying to recall those memories. It's hard and annoying. Like putting back together broken glass shards."

"That's too bad," Inazuma said. "But that's just how it is if you can't remember."

"No, that was my mistake. I focused too much on them when I already have something closer to me."

"Something close?"

"Whenever I look at him, I get this strong feeling in my chest—a weird, overwhelming sense of longing," Sendai said. "No idea why, but it probably has something to do with his past."

"Okay, we're getting somewhere this time," Akatsuki said. "Something about his past, huh?"

"He's... looking for someone."

"Someone?" Inazuma said.

"Different foreign emotions surged through my head after my consciousness was formed. The moment I saw him... I thought I was staring into the eyes of a long-lost friend." Sendai smiled. "What a weird experience."

"A friend? Is it why he has this strong desire to see this person again?"

"Well, that's the feeling that stuck out the most." Sendai shook her head. "That's probably why I wanted to help him as much as I can. You know me—I'm not too fussy with the little details."

Akatsuki grabbed the cruiser's forearm. "W-Wait, who is this someone? Tell me!"

"Sorry, it's all a blur from there."

"I won't accept a poor excuse like that! You're so close and you just have to leave us hanging here!"

"H-Hey, none of you were this interested in knowing him when I was constructed." The cruiser looked down. "I'm just as frustrated as you are. I thought I'd remember again if I just let it for a while, but those memories faded more and more instead."

Inazuma knitted her eyebrows, deep in thought. "But who could that person be? Is he looking for a friend or relative working overseas after all?" She looked at Akatsuki. "What do you think?"

"For all we know, this mystery person isn't involved with our current issue here."

"R-Really?"

"Even if it's relevant, what are the chances of us finding that person when he himself has no clue where to go next?"

"That's... a good point."

"There's no use crying over this," Akatsuki said. "Regardless, we did gain something new about him. Thank you, Sendai."

"You know, after all this time, I still can't get used to you talking like that." The light cruiser grinned. "Don't stress yourself, okay?"

Akatsuki's lips quivered as her eyelids slowly lowered. Inazuma was expecting an outburst, but what she heard next was far from it: "Come on, Inazuma. We're done here."

Inazuma and Sendai exchanged smiles.

* * *

Nearly an hour passed when the security team finally gave them the green light to leave the ship. Since they couldn't wander too far from the pier, there weren't many places to see in the immediate area other than the line of establishments stretching to the eastern side of the harbor. These included local restaurants and souvenir shops, adding unique and authentic offerings alongside popular stores and franchises sprouting everywhere. They made use of their free time to the fullest, checking out what the stores had to offer one by one. A little window shopping wouldn't hurt anyone, right?

Inazuma made a list of cute trinkets on her phone as they moved along. Since they would be taking the same route back from Orion, she figured that it would be better to wait until they finished the operation first. Hopefully, it would be more than enough time to decide which items she should get.

On their way back, they entered a local eatery and indulged themselves with the impressive variety of rice dishes for their early lunch. Yurie, the commander, and some of Chariot's crew members joined them as well, forming a long table across the dining area. They waited in anticipation as various delectable scents wafted from the kitchen. Soon, the double doors opened and the servers brought four carts to their table. In the next minute, they were already chowing down like it would be their last.

Inazuma couldn't blame them—her seafood rice dish was full of complementing flavors stuffed in a single bowl. Apart from the generous amount of crab and shrimp meat, she just couldn't get enough of its sweet, savory sauce. It was simply a dish that didn't want her to let go of her chopsticks until the bowl was sparkly clean.

Amidst the lively chatter, the commander leaned close to Yurie. "I know it's too late to ask this, but who's going to pay for all these?" he told her. "We're feeding three units' worth of fleet girls here."

"Well, about that—"

"Quite an appetite you got there, Kumano," Maya said. "Not that I'm any better, but that's your sixth bowl already."

"Surprising, isn't it?" Prinz Eugen said. "She only eats that much when we eat out though."

Nagara laughed. "Show me your A-game, guys! I'm at my tenth bowl and I can still eat a dozen more!"

"It's on Einrost's tab, don't worry," Yurie said just after she took a sip of her soup bowl. "This is just pocket change to him anyway."

Inazuma tilted her head. "But isn't that—"

Murakumo waved her hand. "He gave me enough points to cover us for the entire trip, so just grab what you like. No need to be modest." She turned her head, staring at the front counter. "How about the spicy one? I haven't tried that."

"Umm, you say that, but this is an escort mission."

"In that case," the commander said, standing up, "I won't hold back."

"Y-You too?!"

He looked towards the juice bar, then back to Inazuma. "Want me to get you something?"

"Ermm… I'm fine with mango juice."

A waitress took a couple more orders and relayed them to the kitchen staff. Not more than ten minutes passed before she returned with a serving cart. Another batch of steaming bowls graced their table and the girls, armed with their eating utensils, renewed their culinary assault.

"It struck me just now, but what are your plans when we get there?" Yurie asked.

His eyes narrowed but kept his gaze on his meal. "What do you mean?"

"The pay is higher than anything else commissioned the other week, but I just find it odd that you took a Navy-issued assignment so quickly."

"I want to check the situation there myself. This voluntary operation was nothing more than good fortune on my end."

"That's what I want to know. You won't suddenly make a move like this if it isn't worth a second glance."

"What is it to you?"

"You're being self-centered." Yurie glanced at Inazuma. "This is more than just between you and them."

"And I need to remind you that we're having lunch, not on some interrogation session." He launched a glare at her. "If you're trying to coax something out of me just because they're here, I suggest that you stop this nonsense now."

"You'll hit a snag sooner or later if you act too rashly, that's why you need to—"

"Enough."

His clear, imposing voice created a vacuum as the bustling noise inside the eatery suddenly died down. Both staff and patrons cast troubled looks towards their table, but the standoff between the two officers didn't falter.

His chair screeched as he pushed himself away from the table. "Excuse me," he said as he walked to the front door. "I need to cool off for a bit."

"C-Commander!"

Before Inazuma could follow him, Akatsuki snatched her wrist and yanked her back. "Let him be."

"B-But—"

Nagara's head suddenly slammed the table. "Urgh—I don't feel so good."

Kumano burst into laughter. "What a glutton you are," she said. "You had your chances, but you don't really know when to concede."

"Urrp… gotta unload some of the cargo or I'll—"

Maya shot up from her seat, placing Nagara's arm around her shoulders. "Dammit, not here!"

The mood plummeted for a moment, but it seemed to have bounced back just as quick. The tension in the air was still palpable though, lasting throughout their meal. While Inazuma had seen it coming miles away, disappointment struck her all the same.

That little episode was never mentioned again, but the commander opted to distance himself from them regardless. Other than work-related matters, she hadn't had the chance to talk to him since they left Cornille two days ago. She opened up her thoughts to Akatsuki, who remained indignant despite her concerns towards the commander:

_"He's just being a spoiled brat getting all mopey like that. Don't become like him."_

But it wasn't something that she could just overlook.

Nothing frustrated her more than this unbearable feeling of helplessness, slowly consuming her from the inside. In fact, the solution to this whole ordeal was simple and yet she couldn't do anything but watch the rift grew larger each passing day. Not that she wasn't giving her honest effort, but they still had a lot of ground to cover with the mysteries that sprouted in the last couple of weeks—among them were details that could help them understand the commander better.

For now, she had another issue to deal with:

Borrowing the commander's terminal informed her of a new batch of equipment issued from the factory. Him making decisions like that without her consent was already a given, but what baffled her was his preference for carrier-based planes as of late. In this particular order, he was trying to acquire more fighter planes to complement the other planes in their growing inventory. By her estimate, it was already plenty enough to sustain a fleet of carriers for at least a week of nonstop sorties!

She feared that another surprise construction could happen anytime soon, so she had to take the initiative here. But as long as it concerned their fleet, asking the commander about it shouldn't be too much of a hassle. She left their quarters with that notion echoing in her head as she began her search for him.

After walking around for some time, she caught sight of Akatsuki and the commander at the foredeck, with the former raising her voice every now and then:

"You're more stubborn than her! Do you honestly have any idea what you're talking about right now?"

Inazuma crept towards them. "Um, are you two fighting?"

"No, far from it." Akatsuki smiled. "If you're not busy at the moment, can we talk?"

Inazuma glanced at the commander. "Um, sure."

They walked towards the nearest bench and settled there. While there was enough space for the three of them, Akatsuki opted not to sit at all. She looked restless, tapping her foot as she gazed into the distance.

From the plastic bag he was holding, the commander brought out three cans. "Beer?!" Inazuma said.

"Root beer," he replied. "Chitose would be all over them first if they were the real deal."

She received a can and inspected it. "Oh, it's vanilla."

Akatsuki grimaced as she opened hers and took a swig of the drink. "If only they didn't run out of coffee in the fridge…"

"They have stacks of coffee cans in the kitchen," the commander said.

"And you want me to drink one as it is? No, thank you."

"You sure are picky."

"If I gave you a carton of lukewarm milk, would you drink it?"

"No, I like it cold."

"Then this conversation is over."

Inazuma tried to stifle her laughter, but she couldn't hold it. She ended up spitting some of the root beer in her mouth as she began to cough uncontrollably. Her throat felt prickly while tears invaded her eyes. It was simply a horrible experience, but to her embarrassment, Akatsuki and the commander exchanged looks and shared a lengthy laugh.

"W-Why are you two laughing? It isn't funny, you know?"

"S-Sorry," Akatsuki replied. "Y-You made a weird face just before you—snrkpfft!"

The commander had his eyes away from her, but he was clearly struggling to keep up a straight face. Inazuma bit her lip as she let the humiliation consume her completely. More tears fell on her cheeks. "M-Meanies. Someday… someday, I'll…"

"A-Ah, we're sorry! D-Don't cry! Commander, say you're sorry too!"

"I don't know. It was her fau—" Akatsuki brought down a heel on the commander's foot. "Ngh! S-Sorry."

Whether their apologies were sincere or not, she started to calm down and pull herself together. She wiped her mouth with her jacket's sleeve, but her eyes widened in horror. "C-Commander, I'm so sorry! I'm going to wash it well when we get back!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Why are you panicking? I already gave you that jacket."

"Y-You did? Since when?"

"When was it?" He narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. "I think it was the time when Katori dropped by the office last weekend."

"I knew that I could keep it for a little while longer, but actually giving it to me is a bit…"

"You have already taken a liking to it, right? Warm, comfy, and has a lot of pockets and compartments—the perfect outdoor companion."

"H-Hey, how come she gets one and I don't?" Akatsuki asked.

"Would you actually wear it if I did give you one?"

Wagging her index finger, she put her free hand on her waist. "A gift is a gift, so I'll accept it gladly. Putting it on is a different case."

"I see. I fear that I won't be able to find something that would match your sophisticated flair and character."

Her confident form wavered a bit. "Hmph! Maybe it's about time you realize that you just have a bland taste for wardrobe."

She seemed to have scored a hit as the commander's face darkened slightly. Inazuma, however, felt that she had to take the helm and steer the conversation to her advantage. She couldn't let this chance slip away. "So, um, I want to ask the commander something," she said. "Why are you developing carrier planes again?"

Akatsuki gave him a sharp look. "She told me that some time ago. What are you trying to do?"

"Is that a bad thing?" he said. "I thought you girls wanted a carrier in the fleet."

"I know that the Joint Committee had the mandate on hold, but are you really serious about acquiring an aircraft carrier?"

"You already answered your question way back when we were just starting out." He drank his root beer. "It's inevitable anyway."

Akatsuki had an eyebrow raised for a moment, but she shrugged and smiled. "Good to see that you're thinking about the future, but it's more important to work on what we have at the moment."

"That goes without saying."

"That's my line." Their eyes locked and stayed like that for a while, confusing Inazuma. "Well? If you don't mind…"

He suddenly stood up and left them without a word. As he disappeared around the corner, Akatsuki finally sat next to Inazuma, but none of them uttered a single peep. The unsettling silence made Inazuma jittery. "Um, what do you want to talk about?" she asked. "It feels important."

"Don't worry—it's nothing like that."

"But I know something's wrong. You don't have to lie, remember?"

"A worrywart like always, but it strangely fits you." Akatsuki smiled again. "It's about him. We both know that we won't get anywhere like this. I'm not saying that we should stop, but we need a different approach to get us new leads."

"What do you suggest?"

"We have to accept the fact that we sometimes have to take risks. Greater stakes mean bigger yields, right?"

"I… I don't like the sound of that."

Akatsuki grimaced. "I think it's hardly different from what we're doing now," she said in a low voice, "but this is a gamble that I'm willing to partake in, no matter the costs."

"A-Akatsuki…"

"I gave my word to you after all."

Her words cheered Inazuma up, but she looked down to hide her flustered face. "I'm really thankful."

For a moment, Akatsuki didn't speak. When Inazuma finally turned to look at her, she shook her head. "I should be the one thanking you." She paused for a moment. "It means so much to me that I have someone that I can rely on—more importantly, a friend who I can trust with everything. Thank you, Inazuma."

Inazuma worked up the courage to open her mouth. "U-Um… me too. Erm… I feel the same way."

"Was I being too formal? Sorry."

"N-No, it's okay." She smiled. "I'll support you in every way I can."

"Of course. I'm counting on you like always." She held out her root beer. "Shall we have a toast for that, Miss Secretary?"

"Yes!"

"To our fleet's great success!"

They knocked their cans together and drank their root beer. It was only until she finished her drink when she realized that it could have been better if the commander shared the toast with them too.

They spent the rest of their time together in silence. She was happy that Akatsuki was slowly opening up to her, but as she happened to look into her deep purple eyes, she knew that something didn't feel quite right.

A subtle tinge of… sadness?

Disappointment? Regret?

She forced these thoughts out of her head and sighed. Was she overthinking things again?

* * *

Twenty past midnight, they were called to the bridge for an emergency meeting. When Inazuma got there along with her friends, the tension was thicker than she had imagined. The commander was at the forefront with an unmoving expression on his face. Right away, he revealed the meeting's agenda:

"I received tip of an ongoing abyssal movement close to our ship route. Numbers are yet to be known, but I'm sure everybody knows where this is going, right?"

Everything was calm and motionless for a moment, and then escalating into a muffled hubbub as questions were thrown around one after another. But just as Inazuma had expected, he ignored them and pressed the current matter at hand. Despite the confused and wary looks cast on him, the commander didn't budge one bit. Sure enough, he had made his point and the meeting proceeded on his unspoken terms.

"Should we inform the CO to divert the fleet's course?" the ship captain asked.

"Too risky," the commander replied. "As long as we don't alert the enemy of our plans, we should be fine as it is."

"I see," Yurie said. "This is obviously a trap, but we can use it against them if all goes well. We'll let them strike first, then we parry for our counterattack."

"But it is certainly odd that our roving reconnaissance planes haven't reported such activities," Kumano said.

Prinz Eugen nodded. "They're getting better at masking their positions. What do you think, Murakumo?"

Murakumo had a stern expression on her face. "You know what? I'll keep my mouth shut for now."

"Oh? That's new," I-8 replied.

The blonde cruiser flashed a grin. "I know, right?"

The commander looked up from his portable terminal. "According to my intel, the enemy is also organizing a carrier group from the south." He walked towards a computer panel under the overhead monitors and keyed in the approximate coordinates of the enemy fleet. With a final tap, his inputs were reflected on the map. "We should expect air raids to commence not more than an hour from now."

"H-Hey, that's close," Akatsuki mumbled.

"An abyssal carrier group, huh?" Yurie paused. "If we could determine their precise location, we should be able to get the initiative before—"

"No, we're not falling for that. We'll hold our ground instead and protect the other flank—that's where the main strike force is going to attack."

Everyone was stunned. "Another fleet from the north?" the captain said, looking at the monitor. "You sure about that?"

"We won't see them coming on radar since they've already taken their positions along our route. They'll try to catch us by surprise and overwhelm us before we can even mobilize."

Yurie frowned. "Why didn't you tell us sooner? We could have—"

"If we're going to argue about this again, then no, I'm not holding back anything this time. It's absurd that you really think that I would sign my own death warrant for something so petty."

"That's not what I—" She shook her head and sighed. "Let's just get this done, okay?"

He nodded. "That's all I can give at the moment. I'll leave the rest to you."

"Wait," Murakumo said. "If you know this much, do you know why they're targeting us?"

His face showed hesitation, but he gave an answer nonetheless. "I have my hunches, but they're nothing concrete—merely distractions at best."

"Of course you don't."

"Are we all set?" the captain asked. "We're linking up everyone for an emergency conference."

"Please do," Yurie replied.

One by one, the monitors displayed the bridges of the other ships. As soon as everyone was accounted for, Yurie relayed the current situation and the danger they were about to face. Aboard the NMS Novus, Commander Rolm was nowhere near pleased with the news, but the commander was quick to shut him up:

"You're not wrong—I'm just some arrogant civvy pretending to know your trade, and I wouldn't try to argue against that." He paused, glancing over his shoulder. "I'm not oblivious to the fact that my peers see me as a selfish upstart who thinks that he knows everything. But you know what? I'll bear that title proudly if it means keeping every ship in this fleet afloat until we reach port."

Inazuma balled her hands. _Is that how you truly feel towards everyone?_

"And in case you were forgetting one important bit, you're just as responsible to anything that might happen to this fleet. I'm sure you wouldn't want to be a laughingstock for failing something as simple as an escort op."

The communication window from the center monitor turned black. "He cut off the line," the captain said. "Heh. Looks like you pissed him off."

"He'll come around once they finally made their move."

The other captains and fleet commanders looked distraught, but they seemed to have gotten his message.

More information trickled in as they drew close to the sea sector where the Abyssals would initiate their assault. Approximately twelve minutes later, the supply fleet entered combat procedures as enemy planes appeared on radar, approaching from the south. All of the fleet girls had already taken up their positions as they waited for further instructions.

"I must say that it's frightening how accurate his intel is," Murakumo said. "Just who _exactly_ is he?"

"Uh, you know that he can hear you, right?" Prinz Eugen said.

"Well, I think we're free to fill the gaps in if he doesn't want to talk about it. I did my homework and I'm sure that idiot definitely has a hand in this."

"Sir Einrost? I don't get you."

"Multiple large mag-ion signatures detected," Aster said. "Expect unique variant abyssal ships in the pursuing fleets."

"I did a quick cross-reference processing," Freya said, "and I can confirm at least one princess-class and multiple demon-class from the northern fleets."

Gunfire already erupted from the other side of the fleet, lighting up the cloudy night sky.

Inazuma felt the gravity of the situation weighing down on her shoulders, and she couldn't help but steal glances at her friends if they ever felt the same way. They were more than prepared, but the success of their plan still hinged on execution.

"Who knew that an escort mission like this would get so intense?" Maya said. "Give them a good beating for me, you hear?"

"First torpedo wave inbound," Yurie said. "Get ready, everyone!"

Tall pillars erupted ahead of them, creating a wall as the underwater interceptors did their work.

It also was their cue to retaliate as the two counteroffensive fleets set off to their respective targets. Inazuma's group was tasked to neutralize the enemy's support fleet north-northwest of the supply fleet, while Murakumo and Akatsuki's unit headed northeast to intercept the enemy's main force.

"Inazuma," Aster said. "The enemy fleet launched another set of torpedoes."

"Copy that." She focused her senses, causing her eyes to glow saffron. Soon, she saw the flickering outlines of the enemy torpedoes, slowly becoming brighter as they drew closer to them. "Get ready, everyone! We'll rush in at full speed!"

"Are they even trying?" Sendai said. "That spread is just too wide!"

"The enemy fleet started to move," Hatsuyuki said. "What now?"

"We take out the escorts first, then the bigshots."

"They picked the wrong fleet to mess with," Uzuki said. "But it's just what I needed right now."

Nagara looked over her shoulder. "They almost had you last time. You can't get those thoughts into you or—"

The pink-haired destroyer smiled. "I know—it's just me being excited and all!"

Inazuma kept her eyes on the incoming torpedoes, but it had been a huge mistake to focus on the spread alone. Abyssal submarines burst out of the gaps with blades in their hands, lunging towards them. At the same time, the torpedoes went off around Inazuma's team, effectively pinning them down from their positions.

Inazuma raised her arm, deflecting a vicious strike from a Ka-class submarine. She quickly countered with her shoulder mount, but the enemy leaned to her right and produced another short blade. The abyssal plunged it into the destroyer's thigh, causing her to stumble and collapse backwards.

Her vision became blurry as she inched away from the abyssal submarine. Engulfed in a golden glow, the enemy looked down at her and brandished yet another blade. She pounced on the destroyer with an eerie laugh.

Increasing her mag-ion output, Inazuma rocketed backwards and launched her torpedoes. The submarine wasn't able to submerge in time and she was swallowed up in a chain of explosions. Inazuma pushed herself away from the water's surface, landing on her two feet as she continued to skid for some more distance. She held up a card from her pocket and her torpedo mount transformed into a depth charge launcher.

"Is everyone okay?" Inazuma asked.

"So-so, I guess. We have to—" Uzuki growled. "Fumizuki, don't lure that thing here!"

Sendai's laugh broke out, drowning out a nearby explosion. "That's cute—they thought they have us at a disadvantage! We'll show 'em!"

Inazuma rubbed her cheek with her forefinger. "U-Um, are we really okay?"

Sensing a torpedo coming up to the surface, Inazuma concentrated her mag-ions into her legs and sprung backwards, but the abyssal submarine from earlier appeared from her left. She blocked the enemy's blade just before they were knocked away by the torpedo blast. She regained her bearings midair, extending her arms to perform a handspring. But when she was back on her feet again, she let out a cry. The throbbing of her thigh approached the unbearable, rendering her whole leg useless. She found herself kneeling afterwards as she clutched the area around the stab wound.

The bleeding head of the Ka-class submarine emerged before her, chuckling. "How does it feel? I shall have you enjoy a slow, pitiful death," she said. "After all, it would be a shame if I didn't get to relish this moment."

The destroyer's shoulder mount extended slightly to get a clear shot, but a dagger-like object pierced her shoulder as she was about to fire her gun. And before the pain could even register, the enemy already lunged and grabbed her by the neck. She struggled as the submarine's weight pressed her into the water.

Droplets of seawater rained on them as the haunting visage of the Ka-class submarine filled her vision. "It seems like your friends aren't any better. Worry not, they will be joining you soon enough."

Inazuma coughed out seawater as her shield turret rotated ninety degrees. "N-Not yet!"

A shell dart slammed into the submarine's waist, but it only elicited a chuckle from the enemy. "A fitting end for a helpless child like you."

"It… didn't work? A-Ah, I pressed the wrong tri—"

An agonizing shriek pierced the air as the enemy was reduced into a convulsing mess. Her screams were soon punctuated with a powerful crack, sending the submarine in a wide arc across the sky. "Ha! I've always wanted to punt a submarine like that!" Nagara extended her hand. "Can you stand?"

But just then, another abyssal submarine rushed behind the light cruiser. Inazuma pulled herself up and fired at the attacking enemy. Two direct hits made short work of the submarine as she plunged back into the water.

The cruiser crouched next to Inazuma. "Thanks—I thought I had her that time. These guys are no benchwarmers," she said. "Are you okay?"

Seeing the lengthy gash on Nagara's arm seemed to have worsened the sensation in her leg, but she had to act quickly. She gritted her teeth as she focused her energy on removing the blade in one swift pull. The pain that followed almost caused her to blacken out. "S-Sorry! Give me a few more seconds!"

As she was preparing to extract the blade in her shoulder, an enemy shell slammed next to them. "Looks like we won't get any timeouts." Nagara recalled her core structure and crouched in front of her. "Come on!"

"P-Piggyback?! But you can't move as fast without—"

"Better than a sitting duck, right? Besides, I'm used to this!"

"I'll draw their fire," Sendai said, activating her searchlight. "Cover me, you two."

"Roger," Hatsuyuki replied.

"No need to ask," Uzuki said.

The shelling became more intense as the abyssal surface ships made their approach. Inazuma's fleet returned the favor with their own guns, but the mere presence of enemy submarines proved to be a huge nuisance towards their counter-maneuver tactics. The interceptor hives they deployed provided extra safeguard, but it didn't discourage the submarines one bit to keep up with them.

"Heads up!" Ram said. "Time for your long-awaited support shelling!"

Not long afterwards, a wave of shells struck the enemy fleet from above. The momentary break from enemy fire allowed them to focus all their attention on the submarines once more:

"That took a while, Fusou!" Sendai said. "We'll cover you, Fumizuki! Get 'em!"

Fumizuki released a concentrated burst of mag-ions beneath her feet, launching herself into the air. The resulting water ripples, charged with her own energy, gave away the positions of the submarines, and the destroyer didn't waste a moment to hurl a depth charge into the nearest target.

Seconds later, a powerful shock wave erupted outwards, causing everyone to steer clear of the huge torrent that consumed the area. The other pillars that followed the first one paled in comparison. Sendai whistled. "Did you get her?"

"I dunno," Fumizuki replied, "but she won't be coming up again for sure!"

Sendai performed the same maneuver. But in her case, she was quickly shot out of the air before she could chuck the depth charge in her hand.

"Uhh… you still have your searchlight on," Nagara said.

"She did that on purpose," Uzuki said. "Hey, stop screwing around!"

Sending a quick thank you to her damage control crew, Inazuma tapped Nagara's shoulder. "My leg is still a bit stiff and sore, but I can move now at least. Thank you."

"Good timing then! Looks like our main event is about to kick off."

In the midst of the fiery muddle, the outlines of the abyssal ships came into view. A Light Cruiser Demon and a Tsu-class cruiser unleashed thunderous salvos, forcing the fleet girls to break off into different directions. Without giving Inazuma's fleet time to regroup, the abyssal destroyer escorts rushed into the fray, tracking their preys' movements as their mouths flashed with every shot.

Inazuma swerved to the right as an approaching Ro-class destroyer fired an intense blast. The moment they passed each other, she launched a salvo of her own, nailing a good chunk of its portside. The enemy destroyer, now emanating a crimson hue, made a sharp turn and retaliated just as quick with its main gun. Inazuma reacted a second late as she shielded herself from the explosive shell. As the smoke cleared, the enemy was already upon her with its mouth wide open.

She released a depth charge beneath her feet as dived out of the abyssal destroyer's path. The Ro-class crashed into the water but didn't have the chance to resurface—the depth charge it happened to devour went off, sending numerous armor fragments all over the place.

When she thought that she could finally take a breather, the Tsu-class cruiser took notice of her and immediately closed the distance between them with a heavy kick. Inazuma leaped sideways as the cruiser slammed the water's surface with her massive fist. She trained her gun mounts on the enemy and released another salvo. However, the abyssal cruiser blocked the shells and returned fire with her forearm turrets.

Inazuma steeled herself as she took a few shells. Her upper body fared better with the last second use of her shield. The bottom half… she wouldn't even dare to venture a glance. All she knew was that her underpants were exposed now!

And to make things worse, both of her legs tensed up and stopped responding. The blast from the abyssal destroyer shook her system far more than she had imagined—she had overestimated her own strength, but she had no intention of ending it there so quickly either.

She mustered her embarrassment and humiliation, and fired her guns at once. A fierce blaze enveloped the abyssal cruiser, but she was still standing despite taking the shells at a closer range. She lowered her head as if staring down at Inazuma and scooped the destroyer out of the water.

Uzuki raised her portable turret. "Put her down right now!"

"No fair—why are they picking on Manager?" Fumizuki said. "We'll teach these bullies a lesson!"

"Are you okay in there?" Hatsuyuki asked.

Surprisingly, the cruiser's palm was spongier than what Inazuma first assumed. Her captor's grip was unnaturally firm, but not on the level that would cause great discomfort. "I… I'm okay. But where's Sendai?"

Sounds of cannon fire suddenly ceased as the Light Cruiser Demon sailed next to them. "What's wrong?" Sendai asked. "Running out of steam?"

The demon cruiser crossed her arms. "Empty bravado will only harm you in the long run. Frankly, I thought I would get a decent challenge out of this chore, but I expected too much."

"Hearing you talk like that actually pisses me off more."

"Unfortunately, the damage is already done. I can have some fun while we're still here at the very least."

"U-Um, so your fleet is a diversionary force too?" Inazuma asked.

"More or less."

To her surprise, the abyssal cruiser actually gave an answer! Maybe she could push her luck further? "B-But why are you targeting us?"

"I don't know."

"Huh? Y-You mean that?"

"Why would I waste precious time chasing a supply fleet around?"

"No offense, but isn't that you guys usually do?" Fumizuki said. "You know, attacking everything indiscriminately and stuff."

"Too many questions!" Her body flared up a ghostly blue. "They haven't told me anything either!"

Nagara rubbed the back of her head. "Uh… then why are you here again?" She suddenly ducked as the Light Cruiser Demon fired a turret. "Wow, that's a short fuse you got there."

Her eyes squinted as she looked at the Tsu-class cruiser. "Release her. I want to break a sweat fighting these shrimps."

"Is this a trick?" Hatsuyuki said.

She laughed. "Nonsense! I can do whatever I want as long as I can keep you girls here—a proper consolation for dragging me out here in the first place."

Inazuma landed on the water with a splash. She turned around and bowed. "A-Ah… thank you."

"While the result has already been decided, you still better not disappoint, little one."

She shrunk under the abyssal cruiser's gaze before returning to her friends.

"How are you holding up there?" Ram asked. "Fusou's busy at the moment, but give me a beep if you need extra firepower!"

"We're good," Sendai said, grinning. "Can't wait to wipe that smug off her face."

"I'm more worried about Akatsuki and the others," Inazuma said. "Are they—"

"That won't do!" the fairy replied. "Focus on what's in front of you right now!"

"C-Copy that." Inazuma began reviewing a status report sent by her fairy crew. _That's something that he would say. I haven't heard his voice for a while…_

"Doncha worry! We're talking about some of Auspice's finest! They're doing pretty well against two princess-class ships!"

The Light Cruiser Demon extended her arms towards them. "Well then, we shall see if you will be able to provide the challenge I seek!"

"Bring it!" Nagara launched herself towards the demon cruiser. The Tsu-class cruiser made her move, intercepting the punch with the back of her hand. She fired a turret on her other arm, but her target was already long gone. Nagara had already gained distance, firing all her guns from her opponent's starboard side. "Come on—keep up!"

Meanwhile, the rest of them coordinated to overwhelm the Light Cruiser Demon. As expected, it was proving to be a tough fight—the five of them were scoring some hits, but their attacks barely did anything to slow her down. And true to her word, she wasn't showing the greater parts of her abilities just yet.

Inazuma tossed her anchor to Fumizuki, who caught it overhead. "We'll have to create our own opening!"

"Are you sure this is gonna work?" Fumizuki asked.

"We have to try!"

"I'm in!" Sendai said. "Could be fun!"

Fumizuki hurled a depth charge towards the demon cruiser to screen their approach. Shells whizzed through the wall of seawater, but the two destroyers had already closed in and caught the still reeling enemy with their chain.

Inazuma channeled her mag-ions into the chain as Fumizuki passed the anchor to Sendai. The light cruiser made a pass around the enemy before tossing it back to Fumizuki. The cruiser struggled to break free, but the chain remained strong and intact.

Pulling on the chain with both hands, Inazuma leveled her shoulder turret at their target. "Now!"

They let loose alternating salvos as the abyssal cruiser was engulfed in a hazy blaze. Their incessant shelling didn't give her any form of opening, pelting her from every direction.

But even in the midst of the barrage, the abyssal cruiser's mag-ion level wasn't diminishing at all. In fact, it was increasing rapidly. The buildup of energy eventually reached its peak, collapsing outwards. Inazuma held her ground as the shock waves disturbed the vicinity and the immense surge of mag-ions ruptured her chain like glass.

Two figures broke out of the dense smoke cloud. The one with the vaguely shaped silhouette collided with Sendai, while the humanoid figure went straight for Fumizuki.

"Look out!" Uzuki shouted.

Fumizuki went full reverse as she fired at the Light Cruiser Demon, but the abyssal cruiser already moved close enough to deliver a right hook. The destroyer blocked the blow with her forearm plating, but it broke her stance and sent her skidding across the water. As if it wasn't enough, the abyssal cruiser quickly followed up with a cannon blast.

The subsequent explosion made Inazuma's knees weak. "Fumizuki!"

"S-She separated?" Uzuki said. "Wait, she has legs?!"

"Don't fret—you'll get your turn soon."

Two blasts put a stop to the cruiser's advance. Hatsuyuki appeared from her right, striking her with a spinning kick. The abyssal cruiser blocked the blow with her forearm and grabbed the destroyer's ankle with her other hand. She landed a quick jab on Hatsuyuki's chest and slammed her on the water twice.

Skirting from the enemy's portside, Uzuki launched a few shells of her own. To their horror, the abyssal cruiser used Hatsuyuki as a shield. She aimed her forearm turret on Uzuki. "A little bit quick on the trigger, I see."

"Please let her go!" Inazuma cried.

She grinned. "Make me."

Hatsuyuki suddenly bent over and released a concentrated shot to the cruiser's face. She fell to the water, letting out a soft chuckle. "You asked for it."

The blast sent the abyssal cruiser flying backwards, but she splashed through the water and reappeared next to the now standing Hatsuyuki at a short amount of time. Her eyes seething a darker blue hue, she dug her claws into the destroyer's stomach and tossed her away like a ragdoll. "Then how is that for a favor?"

Uzuki and Inazuma moved in and renewed their attacks, trading shells once again with the enemy. Their distraction gave enough time for Sendai to close the distance and land a swift sweeping kick on the abyssal cruiser's neck. She tossed a depth charge behind her. "Here it comes!"

The Light Cruiser Demon's familiar half charged towards Sendai, only to be consumed by a towering water spout. Purple bolts broke through the geyser, but they struck nothing as the fleet girl glided to the side. Along with the two destroyers, she sent as many shells as she could discharge into the deluge.

However, the familiar was nowhere to be found when the water settled down. "Where did it—" Sendai gasped. "Crap."

A bright blue flash lit up cruiser's feet before she disappeared within a massive explosion. At the next second, the Light Cruiser Demon burst out in front of Uzuki and drove a fist into her waist, followed by another punch to her gut. Uzuki fell on her knees, holding her midriff.

"See?" the abyssal cruiser said. "I only lowered my guard for a moment and you girls are suddenly all uppity."

Inazuma aimed her forearm turret at the cruiser, but she couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger. Their combined shelling wasn't even enough to take her down—would it actually make a difference if she hit her with a few more shots?

The abyssal cruiser smiled, seemingly aware of her inner predicament, and crossed her arms. Her familiar half hovered beside her. "What's wrong? Just standing there staring at me won't—"

Her eyes narrowing, she put a hand over her ear as she stared at the southern horizon. Her expression changed from a look of annoyance, confusion, and then astonishment. She returned her gaze to them. "Color me impressed. It's just one after another now."

Uzuki looked up, wiping the blood leaking out of her mouth. "W-What are you talking about?"

"I have to postpone our dance."

Sendai sneered as she tottered towards them. "Don't tell me you're running away."

"Think what you want—there's no more fun to be had here anyway. Perhaps you lot will actually pose a threat the next time we meet."

From the mouth of her monstrous familiar, a vicious streak of energy crashed into the space ahead of her. Mag-ions were condensed at a single point, crackling as it expanded outwards. Inazuma was thrown off her feet for quite a distance while the intense heat from the energy surge seared her skin.

The disturbance in the area eventually died down after a minute. She slowly stood up and rushed towards Hatsuyuki. "Is… Is everyone okay?"

"S-Sorry, Manager," Fumizuki said. "I'm done for tonight."

"How about Nagara?" Uzuki said.

"W-Wait, why do I get a special mention?"

"Oh, good. Don't give us the silent treatment next time—it's sending me the wrong signals, you know?"

"Don't write me off just like that! That Tsu-class keeps getting up every time I hit her!"

Uzuki stared at the shrinking figures of their enemies. "They're going back south."

"Should we pursue?" Sendai asked. "I mean, just give me a minute to catch my breath and—"

"Do I have to jump in and tell you the obvious?" Yurie sighed. "We already have enough problems to juggle around."

"Like what?" Uzuki asked.

"We have detected another engagement further north," Aster said. "The combatants are closing in towards us as we speak. Initial signature readings indicate that majority of the contacts involved are abyssal ships, but we also confirmed the presence of the two Irregulars that we have previously encountered—Operator _Scylla_ and her escort, _Charybdis_."

Inazuma's chest started to tighten. "What about Akatsuki and the others?"

"They have sustained heavy damages, but the enemy fleet had disengaged and proceeded to rendezvous with the rest of their allies. As for which party they belong to, we do not know."

"Did I hear that right?" Uzuki said. "They're actually fighting against each other?"

Nagara shrugged. "Well, they are a hot-headed bunch."

Inazuma shook her head, glancing at the shattered screen of her forearm terminal. "Then we should hurry! They need our help!"

"We should return for now. In this condition, we won't be able to do much."

"Calm down, Inazuma," Yurie replied. "I've already ordered them to fall back for now."

Hearing those words washed away her trepidation. Most of it, at least. "O-Okay."

"And to be completely honest, your commander is making our lives much more difficult. Can you talk to him about this?"

"All of his channels are off. I don't think I can help either."

The other end was silent for a moment. "Inazuma, I'm sorry."

"H-Huh? Why are you—"

"He was watching you girls being played around by that demon-class cruiser and he didn't seem to care at all. He was delusional to think that you girls actually stood a chance against that fleet." Her voice broke down. "I could have done something—anything to help you out there. I'm really sorry."

"Erm… it doesn't matter now, right? Um…"

She racked her brain for something else to say. Nothing came up.

The void she left in the comms frustrated her.

Yurie took a deep breath. "Please hurry back. This isn't over yet."

Uzuki rubbed her head. "They're at it again, huh? What's with all this drama?"

Sendai grinned. "Yeah, why the long face, Inazuma? We'll rush right back into the action after we patch ourselves up."

"Uh, that's not what she's worried about," Nagara replied.

* * *

As soon as they secured Fumizuki and Hatsuyuki on their floaters, they made their way back to the supply fleet. They boarded Chariot using the aft platform and brought the two critically-damaged destroyers to the shed where Maya and a few crew members were waiting.

Relieved that her friends were finally being treated, she plopped down on a bench next to Uzuki. Her body felt heavier now that she had the chance to relax, her muscles throbbing at the slightest movements. The distant booms of gunfire seemed to be even more subdued as she let herself wallow in the vacant recesses of her mind.

Clearing up her thoughts like this always helped her settle down. But this time, it didn't help her in the slightest. Unwanted thoughts invaded the soundless space, pushing her back out to reality.

There was abyssal fleet. And there was the commander.

The light aircraft carrier Chitose, along with a group of fairies, brought over a cooling case filled with formulated drinks and other mag-ion replenishing goodies. "Good to see everyone in one piece," she said. "That's all that matters, right?"

Maya sat beside Uzuki. "I heard you got your asses kicked."

"We walked into that one. Their submarines were a pain."

"Things might turn out different if I was there with you."

"Yeah, whatever." Uzuki pulled out a pink-colored rejuvenator bottle. "This is strawberry, right?"

"I think so?" a fairy replied.

"You're not sure?"

Inazuma drank hers in two gulps as Luna landed on her lap. "Are you okay, Miss Inazuma?" The fairy held out a card case. "It must have been a scary fighting a demon-class enemy."

She removed the cards inside and replaced them with her exhausted, damaged equipment cards. "Y-Yeah, it was a close call. I'm still worried about Akatsuki though."

Luna smiled as she took the card case. "I'm sure she'll be fine. She's strong."

She patted the fairy's head. "I haven't seen Fusou yet. Where is she?"

"She was covering for me in the meantime," Maya replied.

Chitose took a soda can out of the container. "Yeah, we managed to pinpoint the carrier fleet, so we're now retaliating with long-range, wide-area bombardments."

"Man, after all that trouble, it feels like I did nothing tonight."

"Huh? You shot down twenty-seven planes and you call that nothing?"

"You might want to hear this, Miss Inazuma," Aster said. "I will relay the channel's audio to your terminal."

The cards in her hand vanished as she activated the terminal's channel receiver. "There."

"Tethering link—it should come up shortly."

_"—about this? This could go both ways, human."_

Inazuma increased the system's volume, enough to be heard by everyone around her. Commander Rolm's voice blared out of the speaker. "You have no room to talk like that. You're a scum to this planet—why should we even listen to you?"

"In the end, there's only one intelligible person in there that I can reason with. Isn't it about time you run the stage for them? I can only tolerate so much."

"W-Who is she?" Inazuma asked.

"Southern Demon," the fairy replied, "she claims to be the ringleader of the raid."

When her question was met with an uncomfortable silence, abyssal battleship heaved a sigh. Her hollow voice sent chills into Inazuma's core. "We know you're in there, _Liberator_! I didn't think you would stoop this low just to help these wretches have their way with everything!"

"Who are you talking to?" Yurie asked.

"Who else?"

Everything was still for a moment. Then out came the commander's irritated voice. "What do you want?"

"L-Liberator?" Rolm uttered. "Yuu, what's the meaning of this? Are you collaborating with the Abyssals?!"

"Talk."

"Do you have any idea what that ship is carrying right now?" the battleship asked.

"Enough questions. Just get to the point."

"Oh? So you truly are clueless. A shame, but I'll let you figure that out on your own. It's your forte, after all."

Another bout of silence transpired before he spoke again. "Commander Rolm, I need a copy of the fleet's manifest—down to the last container."

Rolm snarled at him. "You're just going to believe her? Have you lost your mind?!"

"Regardless, I'm not that inclined to help you with it when it's clear that you attacked us first."

The battleship chuckled. "To be fair, if it weren't for me intercepting a transmission coming from you… well, let's just say it would be quite a free-for-all to witness. Not that it matters to you, am I right?"

"And what makes you so sure that we'll hand the thing that you want from us?"

"Come now—we both know that you're far beyond that kind of thinking." Her voice became more restrained. "But if you were so keen in stopping us here, I'd imagine that you already lost all mental faculties for even trying. It would be most unfortunate, but business should resume as practiced."

"Give me a moment."

She chuckled again. "Take your time—my girls are entertaining themselves with these miserable knockoffs. They sure can take a beating."

"This is outrageous!" Rolm said. "Apprehend that trai—"

Inazuma winced. Her terminal suddenly gave off grating static. "The channel was terminated," Aster said. "At least we can now confirm that one abyssal group is indeed fighting another."

"But what the hell was that?" Maya said. "Is he really—"

"He fits the bill, right?" Uzuki said. "That would explain everything that he knows about the Abyssals. He has contacts on the other side."

The heavy cruiser scratched the back of her head. "Writing's already on the wall, but there is something else that's bothering me."

"What else is there? We don't even know if he's on our side!"

"So... there is the possibility that he could be working for them," Chitose said.

"He's deliberately withholding information from us, and we'll never know if he's also tipping off the enemy either."

"Y-You brat," Maya said, glancing at Inazuma.

Uzuki did the same. She made an apologetic face when their eyes met. Inazuma shrunk in her seat. "I understand… but I just want to know why. Am I not trying hard enough?"

"Why are you feeling sorry for yourself?" the pink-haired girl asked. "It's not your fault."

"But still—"

Kumano's panicking voice filled her ears. "Commander Yurie!" she said. "Murakumo and Akatsuki—they suddenly shifted course to intercept the hostile ships that managed to slip through the infighting!"

Yurie attempted to contact the aforementioned destroyers directly, but to no avail. "T-They're not responding," she said through gritted teeth. "What's gotten into those two?"

"We cannot wait any longer—we need to catch up to them!"

"Kumano, do not engage! I repeat—"

Out of nowhere, a sharp cry resonated from afar. A large swell appeared on the horizon, approaching at an alarming rate. "What in the world is that thing?" Chitose said.

"Looks like a whale to me," Maya replied.

"_Bake-kujira_," the commander said. "We can't let it get close—point everything we have on that automaton!"

"Yuu, why are they attacking?" Yurie asked. "I thought they gave us time to—"

"That automaton isn't theirs."

"What?!"

The two Navy escort destroyers trained their guns and unleashed full broadsides on the colossal automaton. The explosions hindered the Bake-kujira's movement, forcing it to take cover underwater.

"Hachi, track it down!" Yurie said. "We need all fleet girl units to get prepped for—"

An emergency broadcast came through Inazuma's terminal:

"W-We need help!" Prinz Eugen cried. "They… they took Murakumo. P-Please, he—"

An explosion rang out, and then came Kumano's voice muffled by static spikes. "Two… caught… we… help… hurry—"

"We lost contact," Yurie said. "Did we hit a dead zone?"

"Negative, but there's a small-scale interference field in their location," Freya said. "We're working on getting through it."

"This is one hellhole we fell into." Maya stood up and summoned her armaments. "We gotta hurry then."

Inazuma rushed towards the platform. "I don't know if you can still hear me Akatsuki, but just hang in there a little longer!"

_"Don't."_

Her legs suddenly froze. "C-Commander?"

"Stay here and protect the fleet with the others."

Inazuma gasped. "B-But what about Akatsuki and everybody else?"

"Do I need to remind you why we're here in the first place?"

"We can't just abandon them!"

"Listen, the Bake-kujira can soak up even more damage than that Umibozu we fought before. And I'm not even sure if we can bring it down without suffering heavy losses. We'll need every able fleet girl just to even the odds."

"T-There has to be some other way," Yurie said.

"Multiple abyssal ships detected!" Aster said. "They are being deployed from the Bake-kujira!"

Shells started flying to their direction, slamming the ship's mag-ion field. "It's either them or this whole fleet, Yurie," the commander said. "Your choice."

Yurie paused, sighing. "I… I'm sorry, Inazuma. The fleet takes priority, but I promise that I'll dispatch a squadron as soon as—"

"B-But what if it's already too late? They need us! Please Commander Yurie!"

"Dispatching a squadron now is just reckless," he said. "We lose everything if we fail here, Inazuma."

"We haven't even tried! Commander, I'm begging—"

"Inazuma, just stop." His exasperated tone shook her being, heart and body. "You can't _save_ everyone."

She sobbed, rubbing her eyes with her blouse sleeve. Her legs felt weak, but she resolved not to give in. "I understand now."

"Then you have to get in position. Help out Maya with the—"

"You've always hated the Navy, but you're no different from them after all! We're just numbers that you play around as you see fit!"

"Is that supposed to change my mind? Stop wasting my ti—"

"Shut up!"

Before she came to her senses, she had already leapt over the bulwark. Gushing water columns pervaded the sea before her, but she didn't care. She had to get to Akatsuki and the others, fast.

As she was about to accelerate, Sendai landed in front of her. She spread her arms. "Inazuma, don't! He's right—we need to stick together!"

"No, he's not! Are you just going to abandon Jintsuu too?"

She shook her head. "You have to trust him!"

"Sendai, please! If you're not going to help, the least you can do for Akatsuki is to let me go!"

Pressed for time, she aimed her forearm turret at the cruiser. Sendai's eyes only narrowed. "You won't."

"Please get—"

Sendai was suddenly struck by an explosive shell. A speeding figure motioned her over. "Hurry!"

She followed Uzuki as they sped through a formation of abyssal destroyers firing at them. Some broke off and chased after the pair, but Uzuki's depth charges were slowing them down. The pair left their pursuers behind in no time, pouring all the mag-ions they could spare to set their core engine to Overdrive.

Inazuma looked over her shoulder for the last time. The Bake-kujira had assimilated one of the Navy destroyers, with its skeletal frame coiled around the ship's hull.

Chaos unfolded before her eyes, but it was too late for her to turn back now.

When they got to the first fleet's whereabouts, Akatsuki was the only one left standing. In front of her were Scylla, Charybdis, and a Ta-class battleship.

The abyssal operator noticed the pair. "Oh, I didn't think they would actually send help."

Akatsuki glanced behind her. "I-Inazuma? What are you—"

The abyssal battleship rushed in and planted a fist into the destroyer's stomach. "Too bad, we're just about to wrap this up."

"A-Akatsuki!" Inazuma cried.

Charybdis raised her blade and launched herself towards the destroyers. Inazuma and Uzuki quickly fired at her as they bolted to the left, but they were cut short with the explosions created by the Ta-class battleship. Left out of options, Inazuma stepped in front of Uzuki and blocked the downward slash from the Irregular. The blow rattled every bone in her body, leaving her open for a follow-up jab to the side.

With that single blow, she collapsed forward as she wrapped her arms around herself. She heard Uzuki calling out her name before a blast drowned out everything else.

"Y-You two… why are you even here?!" Akatsuki shouted. "I told him not to—!"

The Ta-class battleship kicked the purple-haired girl back down. "Tch—this brat is stubborn, I'll give her that." She crouched down and brought down another punch on the destroyer's face. "Not for long though."

She began to pummel Akatsuki into a bloody mess, and Inazuma couldn't do anything but listen to her friend's anguished cries. She wanted to help, but she couldn't even muster the strength to stand up again. Her screams came out as a gurgle, struggling not to choke on her blood.

"Stop," Scylla said. "She's already close."

The battleship grabbed Akatsuki and stuffed her inside a pod on Scylla's back. "Done." She licked her bloodstained fingers. "It's about time we head back."

Inazuma reached a tipping point.

All her built-up frustrations. All her self-loathing.

She released it all at once, unleashing something that she didn't know she had.

"Give her back…"

Her voice sounded coarse—half desperate, half pleading.

"Give her back… please…"

Overshadowed by a familiar yet forbidding sensation clawing out of her chest.

_"I said, give her back!"_

With this newfound strength, she reignited her Overdrive to full power and charged towards the abyssal ships one more time. Her fist slipped through the battleship's guard, connecting to the stomach. The battleship's assertive demeanor crumbled. Each blow was too quick for her, forcing her into the defensive.

It was only until Charybdis's intervention that she had acquired distance from the destroyer's assault. The battleship's eyes reflected a ruthless blaze as she closed in once again.

Inazuma was quickly overpowered. Her aggressive, clumsy maneuvers only hastened her downfall:

Her left arm got sliced off.

Her core structure riddled her back with countless shrapnel.

Her body, battered as it was, took direct hits from large-caliber guns.

A hopeless battle—a punishment for her foolishness.

But she couldn't care less. She muttered Akatsuki's name over and over.

Her solace. Her only ray of hope. Her anchor from the consuming madness.

Her body felt light for a moment. As she happened to look down, she saw a glistening blade protruding out of her chest. The sight of blood staining her blouse made her gag uncontrollably.

A single kick pushed her off the blade. "Shouldn't we take that one too?"

"Well, if she didn't have a gaping hole in her chest, then she would have been a nice extra."

"Suit yourself."

"Leave the rest to our toys. We can't let them catch up to us."

As her consciousness began its descent into nothingness, a girl's face emerged from the depths. Pale hands grazed her cheeks as two purple orbs gazed into hers.

_"Stay with me. I believe you're not ordered to die yet."_


	7. Loveless Angels

**06—Loveless Angels**

* * *

The cold embrace of the sea's tranquil darkness. She was most familiar with it.

A fleet girl's final resting place. Unreachable to most.

The mere thought of being cast away into the depths should be scary.

Not anymore.

She didn't understand how it came to be like that.

Not that it actually matters, right?

She would place her concerns on something more close and apparent.

Yes, like these dreams she was having recently.

In this particular sequence, she woke up under a beautiful night sky. Countless stars cast their brilliance to the world below.

The waning moon among them was quite an enigmatic sight, drawing her in the longer she looked at it.

As she took her eyes away from the sky, it dawned on her that she was on the deck of a warship. It was unlike any other ships she had seen before.

And standing before her was a figure of a girl.

Its body flickered in and out of existence. It didn't have any facial features, but it was wearing the same uniform as hers.

For a moment, she thought that she was looking at her own reflection.

The shadowy figure waved its hand and pointed at a ship sailing along with them.

She looked behind her and saw another one. There might be more ahead of the ship they were on.

A naval squadron, perhaps?

She put a hand on her chest.

She felt somewhat nostalgic inside.

Still, she didn't know why.

* * *

Inazuma's eyelids fluttered to life, only to shut them back against the light on the ceiling. She pulled herself up and her chest suddenly throbbed. She instinctively put a hand on her chest and a string of images flashed in her head. Beads of sweat trickled down her face as she took a deep breath to calm herself.

Her right ear felt slightly clogged, but for the most part, everything was in working condition.

"H-Hey, you alright?" She turned her head and gave Maya a nod. "Had me worried there."

She let her eyes wander around and she quickly took notice of a Navy officer in one corner of the room. He stood up and eyed her with an apathetic look on his face, activating a small device attached on his coat collar. "She's awake. Send them in."

The heavy cruiser beside her grunted. "I know that you just woke up and all, but you should prep up. Things are about to get ugly soon."

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."

"Don't sweat it. You did get everyone in a panic when you and that brat went off like that."

"I won't run this time. I deserved it anyway."

"Well, yeah, you have some explaining to do later, but I'm not that talking about that."

She glanced at the officer again. "U-Um, is there a problem? Did I miss anything important while I was recovering?"

"A lot," Maya said. "You were out for two days, you know?"

"T-Two days?" She stumbled on reorganizing her thoughts. A sharp pain pierced her head. "Where's everyone? What about commander?"

The noise outside the room became more louder. Maya grimaced, glancing at the door. "Everyone's safe—well, most of us are. Sendai just... disappeared without a trace while Jintsuu was taken by the Navy for allegedly working with the Abyssals."

Inazuma looked down, clenching her blanket. "A-Akatsuki."

"The others will fill you in later. Just... take it easy for now."

"And the commander?"

"He's—"

The door swung open and a surge of people came rushing in. Most of them were media representatives with cameras, recorders, and other such devices in their person. She found herself surrounded in no time as she was assaulted with questions. Maya was swept by the crowd, but she quickly asserted control over them.

"H-Hey, cut it out! Can't you give the girl some space?!"

As if the heavy cruiser was never there, the media men continued to push their queries and demands towards Inazuma. This time, they weren't speaking all at the same time at least:

"As fleet secretary of your unit, how are you taking the news on your commander's arrest?"

_W-What?_ When she didn't utter a reply, another one spoke:

"The simple fact that you were working with an abyssal mole must have been frustrating for a fleet girl such as yourself. Do you harbor any spite or resentment towards him?"

And another. "We were informed that you will be attending a hearing organized by the Naval Administrative Council later in the afternoon. Have you finally decided to—"

"—appearance to our live interview?"

"By the way, we're having a—"

She shrunk back in her bed, wishing for them to go away. They didn't seem to care if she actually gave them answers.

The trickle of questions soon became a downpour. Somehow, it culminated into another shouting match and the few Navy personnel among the crowd had to intervene. The commodore among them signaled his men to create some space around the destroyer's bed. He stepped closer to the bedside and removed his cap.

"I trust that you have rested well. You may refer to me as Commodore Niro," the man said, extending his hand. At a loss for words, Inazuma simply took it and shook his hand. "Destroyer Inazuma, as we are short on time, we can no longer afford to arrange an appropriate meeting place for this matter. After all, we only want you to confirm several questions we ask of you."

"U-Um, questions?"

The man nodded. "Your commander committed multiple counts of treacherous offenses that undermines the integrity of the Naval Domain and its associates. We wish to know the truth behind everything, and thus, your cooperation in this matter is vital."

"The... truth?"

"Yes, I believe that you girls are beyond such acts of deceit and disloyalty. But if you willingly misled us with false information, you would be effectively painted as an enemy of the Navy, and by extension, all of humanity." Inazuma gulped as his face darkened. "You were his fleet secretary since he was posted in Auspice—I'm more than certain that you know many things that will point us to the right direction."

"Inazuma, don't," Maya said.

The commodore narrowed his eyes as he glanced at Maya. "He has compromised Caffelatte's security, including all the civilian settlements throughout the island chain. Are you saying that we should allow a dangerous individual like him to wander everywhere as he pleases?"

"H-He's not like that at all!"

"Don't tell me you have some sort of attachment to him as well?"

"He's... my friend."

"And for his sake, you will tell us everything you know about him."

She grimaced. "Y-Yes, I understand."

"Inazuma?!" Maya glared at the commodore. "About time for you to stop this crap."

"On the contrary, she obligated to disclose everything we ask of her." His lips formed a smile while he gestured towards the crowd before them. "Inazuma, tell us who that impudent, two-faced bastard really is. Reveal to the world how he turned his back on us for personal gain!"

She shook her head. "I'll admit that he's keeping a lot of secrets from us. We're even wondering ourselves if he really trusts us or not." She looked up and stared at the officer. "But I just know that he's no traitor!"

"What are you—"

"He's hard to reason with and can be really selfish at times, but he has his priorities in place! He already had plenty of chances if he wanted to harm us, but he didn't!"

He scowled. "Those rose-tinted glasses of yours made you ignorant of the implications of his actions! How can you be so sure about that?!"

"You already said it yourself—I know him better than you do!"

The officer grabbed Inazuma's face, pinching her cheeks. "Since when did you learn to talk back to your superiors? Truly a shame that you caught his manners."

An enraged Maya slammed one of his men to the wall. She began walking towards Niro, but the officer merely gave her a grin. "Are you asking to be charged with obstruction? And you might not be under our direct jurisdiction, but I can do enough to make sure that you won't be able to set foot on a naval base again."

Maya cracked her knuckles. "Funny, because there's this one officer yesterday who used a similar threat to scare us."

"Don't test me. You should know better than—"

_"This is as far as you go, Commodore Niro."_

The source of the commanding voice entered the room, cutting through the crowd as if she was a high-ranking naval officer. Commodore Niro released his grip on Inazuma as he turned slightly. "If it isn't Minako's lap dog. Did your master run out of treats for you to chew on?"

The destroyer Shiranui only closed her eyes as she breathed out a small sigh. "A cease and desist directive is imposed against your probing order." She presented a folder to the officer, but he didn't take it. She glanced at the others. "A gag order has been issued as well. Everyone should leave the premises immediately."

"Are you questioning the authority of the Council?"

_"Are you?"_ Another fleet girl appeared—the light cruiser Kiso. "Admiral Asai himself signed that letter. I'll personally escort you to his office if you are still struggling to accept that fact."

He only smirked as he folded his arms on his chest. "I've been wondering when that woman would show up."

"We'll take things from here." Without another word, the commodore wore his hat again and promptly left the room with his men. "I trust that everyone heard Shiranui about the order."

Complaints were thrown at her, mentioning their rights to uphold the truth and whatnot, but the light cruiser simply scoffed and pointed at the door with her sword. "Do I have to drag each of you out of this room or what?"

With her ultimatum left hanging in the air, the crowd trudged out of the room. The door slid shut and all was quiet once again.

"That was completely unnecessary," the pink-haired destroyer said.

"They're finicky as hell anyway. Don't tell me you care about those trust ratings they like to plaster on the news lately."

"Can we borrow you for a while?" Maya asked. "This place is getting on my nerves."

Kiso coughed once, straightening her posture. "I was sent here for that very reason. You can count on me."

"Are you feeling well now?" Shiranui asked Inazuma. "Commodore Minako wants to see you."

"Y-Yeah, I think so." She got out of her bed and walked behind the curtains. "Let me change in a bit."

* * *

Inazuma mentally steeled herself as they walked out of the medical wing and entered the Navy headquarters' central building.

Shiranui led them to a room at the end of the hallway and swiped a keycard on the panel. Inside, Minako, Yurie, and everybody else were waiting for them. Similar to Harline's office back in Auspice, the room was filled with delectable scents of tea and snacks. The battleship Haruna scurried around the spacious room, tending to the needs of their guests huddled together on a sofa set.

Opposite to them, the commodore was sitting at the farthest end of a long table. "That's one problem out of the way." She looked up from her laptop screen and nodded. "Good to see you in full health, Inazuma. Shall we start this meeting?"

"How did you get here so fast?" Kiso asked.

"I borrowed a gunship from Manticore."

The cruiser rubbed the back of her head as she pulled the nearest chair from the table. "Don't make that a habit. I'm sure they're going to whine about that later too."

Inazuma looked at her feet. She mustered up the courage to speak as she made a deep bow. "I... want to apologize to everyone. It was a bad decision on my part as my emotions got the best of me, but I just wanted to save Akatsuki and the others. I will accept any punishment you'll give. Even so, I did what I have to do and I won't ever regret that."

She bit her lip as the silence in the room dragged on.

"You nearly sent us over the edge," Yurie said. "But that's in the past now. If you want to make up for that, now is the perfect time to start."

She slowly pulled her body up again. "H-Huh?"

"We need to get Yuu and Jintsuu out of their custody." The destroyer's lack of reaction caused her eyes to widen slightly. "You don't... hate him, do you?"

Inazuma remained straight-faced as she averted her eyes. "It's not that." She paused for a bit. "I heard that they were arrested? What happened?"

"You're not completely out of the loop here," Minako replied, gesturing to a seat on her left. "You already know the answer."

Haruna pulled the chair out for the destroyer to sit on. Inazuma thanked her before she directed her gaze back to the officer. "Then the abyssal ship who rescued me..."

Minako nodded. "It's the most likely scenario, don't you think? If it weren't for his entourage's intervention, the damages to the fleet would be unprecedented. However, the Navy wouldn't be able to accept that kind of reasoning, hence I'm here specifically to help you with this incident."

"You speak like you're not a part of them," Maya said.

"It's sad, isn't it?" She glanced at Hatsuyuki, who was curled up in a chair near the window. "We cannot take any more chances at this point."

"Why?" Fusou asked. "We're really thankful, but for a Navy officer to go out of her way to give our commander legal assistance to his case—there has to be a reason for all this trouble."

"Of course, I can't possibly abandon an important colleague of mine."

"C-Colleague? You know him, Commodore Minako?"

"The two of us go way back." She eyed Inazuma, smiling. "You don't look that surprised."

"A-Akatsuki told me that possibility, but we didn't think that you two were actually friends for a long time."

"Friends?" Minako closed her eyes. "I wonder about that."

"What do you mean?"

"He was quite a special case when he was still actively cooperating within our detachment. I rarely got to interact with him, so I think it would be quite a stretch to call us friends."

"Do you consider him as one?"

Minako tilted her head slightly. "I've made plenty of enemies in the recent years—and even among the people I can trust, it's hard for me to tell who are my friends or not."

"That sounds tough." Inazuma reflected on the officer's words, but she had to clarify one other thing first. "Um, you mentioned something about a detachment..."

Minako blinked. "Oh, about that. He is a founding member of my independent task group I formed four years ago—at least that's what was written on his papers."

"W-Wait, he's a Navy agent?"

"He is an invaluable asset when it comes to intelligence work."

"B-But he hated the Navy..."

"True, but I can trust him on supplying me crucial information." She reclined in her seat and folded her arms. "Tell me, did you have a hard time working around him?"

Inazuma scrunched her forehead. "When it comes to work, he's very attentive and diligent. I don't really have any problems with him at all, but at the same time, I keep wondering why he's always trying to distance himself from us."

"He's just like that." There was a brief flash of hesitation on her face. "I... can't fault him for it."

"I don't mind." Everyone looked at Fumizuki. "Everyone has secrets, right? I think it's rude forcing people to talk about things that they don't want to share in the first place."

Haruna nodded as she refilled Minako's teacup. "How thoughtful. I'm sure he has his reasons, right?"

"Why didn't you tell us you two are related though?" Inazuma asked.

"Because he told me not to. He was very specific about it." The officer took a sip of tea. "But I have my own reasons too: I thought of setting it up as a trial of sorts—a test for me to gauge your dedication and diligence. Regrettably, this recent turn of events spoiled the fun in that."

"U-Uh, I don't get it."

"You don't have to. All you need to know is that our relationship is strictly professional."

Inazuma frowned. "But... even though you don't think of him as a friend, I can tell that you still cared about him."

The officer raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"You wanted us to keep an eye on him on your behalf. And now, you even flew all the way here to help him."

Her eyes looked vacant for a moment. She smiled before she brought her cup to her lips again. "Sharp as always. Did you hear all that, Kiso?"

The cruiser pointed a biscuit stick at Inazuma. "Is she one of those girls you mentioned to me once? Hmph, now I can see why you want to snatch her away from him."

"If I had met them a little earlier—" She smiled. "No. Perhaps we should let him take our newbies under his wing for a few weeks? It could be a fun experiment."

"I think that's a bad idea," Inazuma quickly replied.

The mood became considerably lighter after sharing a hearty laugh with her friends. "What was that about him being called the _Liberator_ though?" Maya asked. "A bit cheesy to the ears if you ask me."

"Eh? I thought it sounded cool," Fumizuki replied.

I-8 closed the book she was reading. "I was waiting for this. I want to know as well."

"Ooh, Hachi's fired up," Prinz Eugen said.

Minako activated the wall-mounted, widescreen monitor using a small remote. And with a press on her tablet, the screen flashed a collection of pictures. "_Chambered Liberty_, a highly classified operation where we stormed an offshore installation hidden just past the cluster chain's western border."

"Oh, so that's where they got that name from," Fumizuki said. "Oh, wait. Why _did_ they start calling him that?"

"I hope you know what you're doing right now," Kiso told the officer. "Spill it all here and there's no turning back."

Haruna sat beside Inazuma. "I feel that they're trustworthy enough to keep a secret or two, right?"

"You've been working your ass off to keep the Navy's name all sweet and fragrant since that mess. You can't just make decisions like this whenever you feel like it."

"What do you mean, Kiso?" Minako smiled. "Like how they were 'authorized' to televise Hatsuyuki's interview worldwide? How they irreversibly tarnished what was left of the man who once breathed new life into this pathetic, miserable excuse for a military organization?"

Hatsuyuki was unmoving in her seat; face still buried in her knees. Inazuma was about to stand up to console her, but Haruna held her back. "Not now," the battleship whispered. "Please listen to her first."

"I already had a feeling that this would happen, but I became too complacent. This is the least I can do for my shortcomings."

"It's only because you are always looking after so many things at the same time. You have your limits too, Miss Minako."

Kiso grunted as she waved her hand. "Do what you want. Just don't make the old man disappointed."

"I won't." The officer began typing on her laptop's keyboard. "Since our kind and considerate Kiso perfectly ruined our pace, I'll just get to the meat of the subject: your commander was the one who tipped us off about the base, along with the irregularities occurring within it."

"Of what kind?" Yurie said.

The commodore paused with an eager look on her face. The silence stretched on as most of the girls returned her stare with anticipation. "Oh, this is disappointing. Not a single one of you caught that bit?" She sighed as a slideshow appeared on the screen. "The base housed various facilities to further unauthorized modernization practices on fleet girls."

Inazuma gasped. "So that means..."

"Yes, some of the Irregulars we are fighting right now were probably produced from that very same place."

"But... that doesn't answer the important ques—" I-8 put a hand on her chin. "No, it is starting to come along."

"What is?" Prinz Eugen asked.

"The more grotesque procedures always involved abyssal materials, including the actual ships themselves."

"A-Ah, now I get it! They're keeping abyssal ships in there too!" She clapped once. "You know, like how fancy restaurants have huge aquariums to keep their seafood fresh!"

"You just had to make that comparison, huh?" Maya said.

The commodore nodded. "The captive abyssal ships were also exposed to various kinds of experimentation—even worse than the projects designated to fleet girls. Hold on, I have some pictures here to—"

"P-Please don't!"

Inazuma's timely intervention only aroused everyone's curiosity. She did her best to ignore their guilt-inducing stares. "O-Okay, what did you guys do exactly?" Yurie asked.

"As the one overseeing the entire operation, I had ordered the infiltration team to put them out of their misery. Yuu, however, already had a different idea in mind."

"So, he set them free."

"To this day, I still don't know what came over him at the time. Well, not that the present is any different."

"Then what happened next?" Prinz Eugen asked.

"You don't need to know." Minako smiled as a few of them pouted and voiced their disappointment. "Somehow, that single selfish act earned him the trust of one abyssal commander in this region."

Inazuma furrowed her eyebrows. "Is that why everyone here is wary of him? Because he was willing to help the enemy?"

"Ironic that we benefited the most from him. But there is one thing that concerns me: why now, of all times?"

Yurie nodded. "I think we can agree that this isn't just some dumb coincidence."

"Well, they won't be able to hide the truth for long."

"You knew all of these things, but you are still willing to keep him around. Isn't that too much of a gamble for someone you barely know?"

Minako smirked. "I could easily say the same thing to you." When Inazuma made a puzzled look, the officer quickly added, "They're part of my task group now."

"I see." She sighed, glancing at Hatsuyuki. "Akatsuki and Murakumo. Sendai too. What should we do?"

"I advise not to do anything that may arouse suspicion from the authorities—all of you are under surveillance and we cannot afford to let another slip up happen."

Prinz Eugen's eyes widened. "L-Like, right now?!"

"I doubt it, but I would applaud their foolishness for prying inside my office." Smirking, Minako looked up to the ceiling. "Who and why—it's only a matter of when. I _will_ find out."

Haruna suddenly shot up and clapped twice. "It's almost lunch, so let's eat out together somewhere!"

Maya arched an eyebrow. "Lunch already? All these snacks are—"

"...appetizers, yes!"

"I wasn't talking about that, but sure. I wanna chow down some savory beef right now."

"Haruna, what's this abo—" The battleship indicated Hatsuyuki with her eyes. Minako nodded, closing the lid of her laptop. "We've caused every one of you nothing but inconvenience since you arrived in this island. How about we visit the eatery within the compound? The place is run by the island locals, and the dishes there are unique and authentic."

"Sounds lovely," Kumano said. "I'm looking forward to it."

"And there she goes." Chitose laughed, eyeing Nagara who was munching on some crackers. "Go easy this time or you'll end up making a scene again."

"I got carried away last time, but I'll definitely pull it off now!"

Haruna placed her folded apron on the table. "Now that it's been decided, let's go!"

Everyone stood up and exited the room, leaving Inazuma and Hatsuyuki in their seats. "Thank you, Miss Haruna," Inazuma said.

The battleship turned around for the last time, giving her a smile. Inazuma strengthen her resolve as she approached Hatsuyuki. She kneeled in front of her. "H-Hatsuyuki..."

"Inazuma, I screwed up again." She began sobbing. "The commander... because of me... I..."

Inazuma bit her lip. "I-It's okay. I'm sure we—"

"No, it's not! He can't return to his normal life anymore! Don't you realize that?"

"C-Calm down, Hatsu—"

"I was so stupid." She finally looked up from her thighs. More tears fell down from her reddened eyes. "Everyone... everyone in the world now thinks he's a bad guy."

The chair screeched against the floor as Inazuma embraced the black-haired girl. "Please... enough. Don't say those things to yourself."

"I-Inazuma... stop it."

"I hate seeing you like this. You're my friend."

"I've done nothing but cause trouble, and it hurts even more when everyone is still so kind to me. I don't deserve any of it."

Inazuma blinked as tears invaded her eyes. She held back a sob. "B-But if we give up now, who's going to help our friends? They need us, and we need you too."

"I'm sorry." Hatsuyuki buried her face against Inazuma's chest. "I'm so sorry."

She sniffled, forcing out a giggle. "I guess that makes two of us apologizing a lot today."

"Fumizuki and the others... maybe they hate me now. A-Akatsuki will surely—"

"It's not your fault, okay? I... I don't know how, but I'm sure we'll be able to fix this together."

"Y-You're really kind. It's so disgusting... that I doubted you before. I thought you're just doing this because you're the fleet's secretary, but you've proven so many times that you always mean what you say. I kept my distance instead of taking the effort to get to know you."

"It's never too late for that." Inazuma tightened her arms around Hatsuyuki and stayed like that for a while. Hatsuyuki's trembling body eventually stopped. "Feeling better?"

"Hmhm... my eyelids feel heavy..."

"S-Sleepy already?"

"Y-Yesterday was exhausting."

Inazuma pulled herself away, drying her cheeks with her sleeve. "Let's catch up to them. I'm sure you don't want to miss out on good food either."

Hatsuyuki smiled. "Yeah."

* * *

Hatsuyuki seemed eager as they made their way to the eatery, but all of her newfound vitality and enthusiasm vanished the moment she stepped inside the establishment. It was already too late for Inazuma to realize her mistake as Hatsuyuki began to tremble before the eyes of everybody waiting for them in their respective tables.

Her face was drained of life and color as she was dragged to the table where Fusou was sitting. It took Inazuma some time to convince her to seat with them together, but getting her to join their conversations was another thing. Fortunately, Fumizuki's relentless initiative kept most of the awkwardness at bay even though they kept jumping from one topic to the next. Bless her by the goddess.

After their pleasant lunch, Inazuma opted to mull over their situation alone. However, the Navy headquarters felt too cramped for her to freely move around. She felt that many set of eyes were following her every step, making her even more restless. When she consulted Shiranui, she found out that she could actually leave the Navy's main compound and access some parts of the island, provided that she would always wear the executive card pass given to her. Curfew was still in a few hours too, so there was no reason for her not to take this chance to take a breather.

_"And if a Navy-affiliated individual harasses you in some way or another, please notify us immediately. I will deal with them personally."_

And Shiranui was very specific about it. One less headache to worry about at least.

She ended up wandering outside the compound, following the scent of the sea. In no time, she found a small park facing the sea. She noticed a few people there as well, watching the waves crashing against the rocky shoreline or strolling through the colorful flowerbeds and ornate pathways. After looking around, she rested on a stone bench and stared at the flowers swaying in the chilly breeze.

"Lookin' down there. Ain't that a waste if you're all gloomy like that?"

The person beside her was a familiar face. _The aircraft carrier Ryuujou._

The same hoodie-wearing fleet girl who had been chasing people in the park since she got there, trying to sell whatever was inside the basket she was carrying.

"A-Ah... good afternoon." Inazuma looked at the basket sitting on the carrier's lap. "Um, what are you selling?"

"Dried fish, squid, and shrimp. Some candies, cigs and matches." She stretched her arms up. "Gonna buy somethin'?"

"U-Um... sorry. I don't have any money with me right now."

"Just askin', don't need to apologize. But I wish the folks here grab my stuff already so I can wrap up early."

Inazuma thought to herself for a moment. "Is that... a hobby of yours?"

"H-Hobby?" Ryuujou chuckled. "Guess you can call it that. It's all I do these days."

"Why?"

"If I don't, the gals back at home won't be getting enough rice tonight. They're pretty loud about it, so I can't slack off for too long."

Inazuma's shoulders drooped at the revelation. She rubbed her arms through her jacket's sleeves. "Is your weekly allowance here not enough for—"

"I don't really work here." The carrier's face soured, pulling her hood over her forehead. "I'm no Navy fleet girl. Just your run-of-the-mill vagrant tryin' to feed off the scraps around 'ere."

"A-Ah... sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

She released her fingers from the hem and smiled as she stared at Inazuma. "Why are you makin' that face? Heh, you're weird."

"N-No, I'm not!"

"So, 'sit my turn to ask questions?" She eyed the card pass pinned on the destroyer's jacket. "You a Navy girl?"

"I was. I'm now working for the Maritime Peacekeepers."

"Hope you don't mind me askin' this, but do you have some important business here?"

Inazuma let out a long sigh. "My unit was escorting a supply fleet, but we were attacked by the Abyssals on the way to this island."

"Oh right, it was the talk of the town since yesterday. I saw him on the news too—ya know, that fleet commander in cahoots with the enemy."

"My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I'm glad that I'm still alive." She shook her head. "Because of what I did though, I ended up making everyone worried. Even though they're not saying anything, I'm still ashamed."

Ryuujou looked up, raising a palm up to the murky sky. "No point on lettin' all those thoughts drag ya down. Not like you'll be able to change the past that way."

Clenching her fists, she kept her emotions from bursting out of her chest. "I know, but it all falls back on me. Even if I put my heart into it, it's just not enough. It feels that nothing works out in my favor."

"Well, that's just how life is. Puttin' in work doesn't mean you get a medal for it every time."

A soft sob escaped her lips. "A-Akatsuki, what should I do?"

Ryuujou grumbled. "Quit it with yer whinin' already!"

Startled, Inazuma looked at her with wide eyes. "A-Ah, I didn't mean to... I'm so—"

"Yeah, stop that too."

"But—"

"The world can kick you to the ground and spit on ya, but that's all the more reason to get back up and prove you ain't takin' crap from anybody." She gave a thumbs up. "So cheer up! I bet your commander is just as glad you still get the chance to slug it all out another day!"

"T-Thank you." Inazuma forced a smile. "Still, I wish I can do something... anything."

"Well, since you asked for it, mind helping me carry a few things back to our shack? I'll give ya some dried squids for the trouble."

Inazuma had her mouth open for a moment. "U-Um, I guess? I never had dried squid before."

"Well, I have two types 'ere—commercial and sun-dried." Ryuujou held them up in each hand. "Both are darn tasty with a vinegar dip. Prefer a spicy mix myself, but someone I know likes to eat these while drownin' herself in booze."

"Okay, I still have plenty of time left anyway."

"Appreciate it!" She shoved the packages back to the basket and stood up. "We won't take long."

* * *

The pair left the park and went to the town's marketplace where they picked up two sacks of rice and charcoal. Afterwards, they walked down to the lower parts of the island until they reached a small beach dotted with smooth boulders. A couple of rundown houses and sheds were standing next to the cliff's craggy wall. Ryuujou pointed at the farthest one. "There."

Inazuma followed the carrier as she looked around with her eyes. "This is where you live? Doesn't it get really scary when the weather gets rough?"

"Not like we have a choice, y'know? Still, the shacks 'ere are all elevated and those boulders along the shore do their job for that."

"But... it's still dangerous to everyone living in this area."

"Heh, all concerned now? We're the only ones living 'ere anyway. The folks who lived here were relocated inland a long time ago."

"I see. That's good then."

Ryuujou stepped on the porch and banged on the wall beside the screen door. "Hey, we got a visitor! I gotta clean up the hut in a jiffy, so let her in first!" She looked back to the destroyer when no one answered. "Just wait for me inside, will ya?"

Inazuma placed her sack against the wall. "Um, is it okay?"

"Yep." She stretched her arms again, turning around. "Later, Chief."

"C-Chief?"

The carrier froze for a few seconds. She suddenly laughed and started walking again.

_Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling about this? _Inazuma swallowed as she looked through the door. "Um, hello?"

No one seemed to be inside, so she carefully pushed the door and entered the house. The whole floor was just a single room with counter top partitions for the kitchen. The room was bare and empty, save for some potted plants and a dining table that could accommodate six people.

As she let out a sigh, she suddenly sensed movement from behind and an arm wrapped around her neck. She tensed up as she felt a gun barrel pressed against her back. She clenched her teeth and tried to break free, but her captor's grip was stronger. _A fleet girl?!_

"Now, now. Keep strugglin' like that or you'll end up hurtin' yourself."

An unexpectedly warm and mellow voice. It only gave her a stronger reason to struggle even more.

"W-Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

"Already askin' the important questions? But you'll become a part of me soon, so it doesn't matter now." The destroyer shivered as her breath brushed her ear. "A girl like you is just what I need. Young, fresh, supple... the perfect _modernization_ suppleme—"

"L-Let me go!"

Inazuma summoned her armaments, producing a strong outward force. The dining set and other smaller items were blasted to the walls and staircase, while the door was ripped out of its hinges as it flew outside the house. Her assailant was sprawled on the floor, rubbing the back of her head. "Oww..."

She picked up the pistol-like gun turret near her feet and aimed at the fleet girl. Ryuujou rushed inside afterwards. "What the heck's wrong with you two?" she said. "I leave you for a sec and you two are now tryin' to kill each other?!"

The other girl propped herself up with an indignant look on her face. "H-Hey, don't dump it all on me! I thought she wasn't gonna fight back! A miscalculation!"

"I'm about to miscalculate yer face if you ain't shuttin' that mouth of yours!"

"This was his idea, y'know?!" She cast her eyes to the floor. "Seems like I fell for it."

Another fleet girl came down from the stairs as well. "My, I dozed off for a moment and everyone is already too rowdy at this time of the day." The heavy cruiser Chikuma yawned before scanning the room with half-closed eyes. The realization finally set in as she put up an irritated expression. "I am not cleaning this up."

"W-What do you want from me?!" Inazuma cried. When all three of them looked at her, she trained her shoulder turret to Chikuma while pointing her shield turret at the aircraft carrier. "D-Don't come any closer!"

"Hey, quit pointin' that thing at me!" Ryuujou said. "Dammit Urakaze, you started this mess!"

Urakaze sat cross-legged, holding her hands up. "E-Easy there, Inazuma. We're not gonna hurt you."

"Y-You lie, _weirdo_!"

"I didn't mean that, promise! I thought I could play a trick on you when he once told us about you and—"

"He? Who are you talking about?"

"The admiral! 'side that, you saw me before that one night!"

Her hands started to shake. "Why is it always like this?" She swallowed as her lips quivered. "A-Always..."

"Aww, now you've done it!" Ryuujou said.

Urakaze's face had self-pity and remorse written all over it. Meanwhile, Chikuma walked to Inazuma's side and patted her head. "She speaks the truth, Inazuma. We're your friends."

"H-Huh?" Inazuma blinked away the mist in her eyes, looking up. "Friends?"

The heavy cruiser smiled as she glanced at the other two. "We've wasted enough time as it is. Please clean up everything first, then we'll tell her everything."

The next ten minutes was spent restoring the place to its previous state. The door and window frames would take time to fix. For now, they simply freed up the floor from the clutter. After calming down, Inazuma helped out arranging the dining set as well. She caused quite a scene and it wouldn't do good to her conscience if she just stood there and watched them the entire time.

Nevertheless, she couldn't keep her eyes off the trio. Not because she wasn't still convinced on their words, but only because their eyes and hair were different, noticeably lighter in color. A lighter shade of silver.

They gathered at the table again. Inazuma took a sip of water, putting her thoughts in order. "So, um... who are you? And I want to know your affiliations too..."

"We're vagrants," Urakaze said. "We don't work for anybody, but if the Admiral needs a hand in somethin', we're gonna get it done!"

She placed the cup back on the table. "Y-You're working with the commander? How did you know him?"

"Long story," Ryuujou said. "I didn't bring you here for some story tellin'. You and the others hafta leave the island soon."

"We have intercepted information that the Abyssals will initiate a siege on the island," Chikuma replied. "They're assembling their forces as we speak and they might strike at any time after nightfall."

Inazuma heart started to race. "B-But... why?"

"Before we lost contact with the Admiral, he told us that the Abyssals are after some important cargo in the supply fleet you were protecting. Do you know something about it?"

She shook her head. "But we can't just leave! This island has a large civilian population!"

"Then, are you suggesting that we should stand our ground and fight?"

Urakaze and Ryuujou exchanged forlorn looks. "Wouldn't take the risk if I were you," the carrier said. "Zero chance of gettin 'out here alive."

"The Navy fleet girls here are strong! I'm sure we can defend the base if—"

"The only reason why this fort is sill operatin' is because the Abyssals never bothered to try in the first place! They're bringin' in the big guns this time, I tell ya!"

"B-But... we haven't tried! Are we just going to give up so easily?!"

A passing silence came down on them. "This is their battle, not ours," Chikuma replied. "We only look after ourselves."

The bitter coldness in her voice pierced Inazuma like an icy bolt. She bit her lip as her eyes landed on her skirt.

"The authorities here had foreseen this scenario. Fort Orion is still on high alert since the past few days and no evacuation order has been released yet. They seem confident that they will be able to defend the island, but... the disparity in strength and numbers is too huge."

"Then we just have to tell them about it. We still have plenty of time!"

"No Navy official would believe this though. Especially from a vagrant like us."

"I know someone who can help us! Please, trust me!"

"Ah, that one Navy commodore," Urakaze said, nodding.

Ryuujou let out a chuckle. "Man, you're a persistent critter, y'know that? Worth the shot, I guess."

"Our top priority is to free the admiral from the Navy's custody," Chikuma said. "We've already decided on a plan to do that, but we want your opinion about this too."

Inazuma pointed at herself. "Eh? Me?"

"You're his official secretary," Urakaze said. "That makes you second-in-command. And since he's not with us right now..."

She looked down, feeling a slight pang in her chest. "Did the commander plan all this?"

"He was waiting for developments from his contacts, but we haven't heard from him since." Chikuma rested her arms on the table. "That's why we want him out of captivity as soon as possible. We're just waiting for the right moment to strike and—"

She gasped. "You're going to force your way into the compound? Y-You can't do that!"

"Why not?" Ryuujou said.

"That would only make the situation worse! Like I said, we already have someone who's helping the commander with his case!"

"After that media stunt they pulled on him? I doubt it." The carrier slammed the table. "Why'd you think those Navy shills did it?! Those scumbags can burn in hell later, but I ain't just gonna sit here and let them spout more crap at him!"

Inazuma was at a loss for words. Their discussion back at the office was finally catching up to her. _A scapegoat... but why would they do that to him?_

"We must succeed, by any means," Chikuma said. "If you can tell us where he's being kept right now, we'll be able to come up with a better plan for later."

She took a minute to calm herself. Then, she gave the cruiser a stern look. "In that case, I'll only help you if you stay with us to defend the island."

"You sure 'bout that?" Ryuujou leaned on the table facing Inazuma, propping up her head with her hand. "We're only askin' you this so that we can bust him out of there quicker. With or without you, we're still doin' this."

Inazuma's eyebrows furrowed without her realizing it. "I thought you were on our side! I can't believe you're just going to abandon everyone here!"

"Ain't you a stubborn brat, tryin' to be a hero when your guns can't even do jack to battleships?"

She sunk in her seat, hanging her head in shame. The last time she did it, she was a mere inch away from death.

"Oh, enough of that—no use runnin' around in circles like this," the blue-haired destroyer said. "I'd say we should follow Inazuma for now. She did raise a good point about this whole thing."

Ryuujou stared at her, eyes narrowing. "So we're back to square one or what?"

"No, but I'm startin' to get the other reason why we'll need Marvie in this. If we're gonna go with our original plan, then there's nothin' to lose."

"The others are waiting, so we have to decide now," Chikuma said. "What do you think, Ryuujou?"

The carrier crossed her arms, her mood still sour. "Aight. Guess we'll have more options before the shells start fallin' later."

"Inazuma, go talk to the admiral when you get back later," Urakaze said. "And it's up to you if you wanna tell everybody about the Abyssals. As long as he's one of them, we won't complain."

She let out a sigh, nodding. "We already planned to see him before the hearing starts."

Chikuma stood up and headed to the cupboard. She picked up a small digital radio from the drawer and handed it to her. "Make sure to use it only after you've passed the news to him—it might get us compromised." When the destroyer nodded, the heavy cruiser put a finger on her chin. "Come to think of it, Admiral also mentioned that you'll provide us with equipment too."

"H-huh? I have no idea. He didn't even tell me about you guys."

She pointed at Inazuma's jacket. "Let's see... the hidden chest slot on the left. Two sets of equipment cards."

Inazuma unzipped her jacket and opened its left side. Her mouth agape, she fished out two card cases from the chest pocket. "H-How?"

She smiled. "Well, that's his jacket after all."

A starry-eyed Ryuujou snatched a card case and removed all of its contents. "Oh man! For the life of me, I've never held this much planes in my hands! Can't wait to see the look on Shouhou's face later!"

Meanwhile, Chikuma and Urakaze took their time with the other case. Their eyes were gleaming as they shuffled through the cards.

Inazuma couldn't explain it, but there was this warm sensation stirring within her.

She couldn't help but smile seeing them all blithe and chirpy like that.

Deep down though, she was at a loss. Lingering doubts surfaced without notice.

She knew that it wouldn't do good overthinking things, but they were sticking out so openly that it was just impossible to ignore them now.

Everything. Since the beginning.

Was it all a front? A facade to serve purpose and convenience?

* * *

Inazuma wasted no time as she headed straight to Minako's office and requested to see the commander as soon as possible. Unsurprisingly, the commodore was just as quick to set up everything, as if she was already anticipating it to happen. Inazuma also used this chance to relay the information she had learned from the vagrant fleet girls.

The officer wasn't surprised about it either. So, were they really expecting an abyssal raid on the island after all? Her stiff disposition only made the destroyer more uneasy.

When they finally got hold of their clearance, they made their way to an interrogation room where they would be given thirty minutes to talk to him.

A guard opened the door for them and Inazuma rushed inside. "C-Commander?"

He had a brief look of surprise on his face but it quickly changed into a scowl. "Why are they still here, Minako?"

Minako took a seat across him. "I can't force them if they don't want to leave the island yet. Plus, your fleet is your responsibility."

Hesitantly, Inazuma sat near him. It was only then she noticed a patch on his cheek and an adhesive bandage on the corner of his lips. "C-Commander, what happened?"

He directed his glare at the commodore. "I'm surprised their interrogation methods haven't changed at all. Makes me wonder if you're actually doing your job around here."

Minako glanced at the one-way mirror. "You can take a punch or two, right? But I'll see to it that—"

"Cut the pleasantries, Minako. What do you want this time?"

The Navy officer sighed and gestured at the destroyer.

Inazuma felt a chill down her spine as he stared at her. His eyes was brimming with unprecedented anger. She felt like she was looking into the eyes of a different person.

She inhaled sharply as she opened her mouth. But before she could even breath out a word, alarms suddenly blared out. Minako's eyebrows crossed as she activated her tablet. "It's starting."

The room shuddered and the lights flickered as she felt a couple of mag-ion detonations from the surface. "Enemy bombardment?!" she uttered. "T-They're attacking now? I thought—"

"Who's behind this?" the commander asked, standing up.

"You should have known by now," Minako replied. "Or did I misinterpret your words somehow?"

"I need to talk to her."

She glanced at her right again before removing her forearm terminal and sliding it towards him. The rage in his eyes slightly mellowed out as he tapped at the terminal's screen. "Room's still got interference."

Minako faced the mirror again. "You heard him." As if a response to her order, the speakers in the room emitted a sharp static noise. In the midst of the harsh crackling, they started to hear someone's voice. "What are you—"

_"Oh, I finally got through. Are you seeing this spectacle, Liberator?"_

A familiar chilling voice. Inazuma couldn't mistake it for any other. _Southern Demon. It's definitely her!_

"The hell are you doing?" the commander said.

"Can't you tell? I've changed my mind."

"This wasn't part of—"

"Part of what? Come now, I've put up with these degenerates for so long. In fact, I'm doing you a favor right now and just end them all in one sweep." The abyssal battleship chuckled. "I'll make sure to clean up everything before sunrise."

He leaned on the table with his hands, casting his eyes downward. "So, you're going to make this difficult, huh?"

"Well, who's going to stop me?"

"Serra, don't do this. You already got what you want."

"Yes, about that. I must thank you for sending a comprehensive layout of the island. You truly never disappoint when it comes to intel gathering."

Minako narrowed her eyes. "Yuu, what is she talking about?"

"If it'll make you feel better, I told my girls to spare you when they happen to run into you. Do try to survive at least as I don't want to lose a valuable comra—"

A bang echoed in the room and the commander collapsed with a thud. Breathless, Inazuma looked towards the doorway. "You bastard!" the officer from the corridor shouted. "I should've killed you when I got the chance!"

Minako quickly rushed towards the man, disarming him with a quick jab. "Inazuma, help him!"

The commodore's voice brought her out of her stupor. She immediately rushed to the commander's side.

"C-Commander! P-Please, stay with me!"

Blood freely poured out from his chest, quickly seeping through his clothes. Inazuma pulled out her neckerchief, bunched it up, and placed it over the wound. As she pushed her fingers down, she could hear Minako calling for medical assistance. The commotion from the corridor grew as well.

"Kgh... do me a favor. M-Move me out... of this room."

Just speaking was too much of a pain for him. Blood started to leak from his mouth as he broke out in a cold sweat.

"Y-You're losing a lot of blood! You might go into shock if—"

"S-Shut up! Get me... out of here... quick..."

"E-Even now, you're still going to be selfish?"

"What... are you on about?"

"We care about you, but you don't seem to acknowledge that! You keep pushing us away!"

"A-Are you seriously... doing this now?" He struggled to raise his hand, clutching her forearm. "If you don't act now... everyone's gonna die."

"But—"

"Hurry, dammit!"

"A-Alright."

Left with no other options, Inazuma lifted and carried him out of the room. She set him down sitting against the wall, making sure that he didn't get in the way of the other personnel scampering through the corridor. She let out a whimper as the blood continued to spill through her fingers.

"I-Inazuma, why did you move—" Minako shook her head and kneeled next to him. She brought out a handkerchief, setting it over the destroyer's neckerchief. "Reckless as ever."

He pulled out his right sleeve, revealing a hidden terminal embedded in his deformed-looking forearm.

Its skin was black, with a few short stripes of silver running down to his hand. Muscles and veins were bulged out as blood could be seen flowing in them, but what baffled her most was the fact that everybody else was oblivious about it. She rubbed her eyes twice for good measure, but she wasn't definitely seeing things.

With his trembling hand, the commander tapped on the terminal's screen and activated the top-most channel link on the list. "Chikuma... gave you something, right?"

"A-Ah, yes!" Inazuma pulled out the radio from her jacket and handed the device to him.

He linked up the devices and closed his eyes. "Come on... answer it."

A few more seconds passed before the radio clicked. "Oh hey, Commander! How you doin' there?"

"Tanikaze... center stage. Raise... up the curtain for us."

"Ro—ger! On our way!"

He took a deep breath, tossing the radio to Inazuma's feet. "Did... my part, Minako."

A pair of paramedics arrived, but the officer who shot the commander threatened them away from the crowd. "You must already know that an abyssal unit managed to slip through our patrols from the north," he said, glaring down at them. "He's going to get us killed, Minako!"

"Yes, and you're no different with your self-serving attempt to murder an important asset of the Joint Committee."

"Such a disappointment. You've truly lost your mind helping that treacherous scoundrel."

"Are you looking for another, Captain Tatsuki? If you're done with your childish whining, you should return to the command center and help out with the ongoing counteroffensive operation."

The captain clenched his fists as he stepped closer to her. "How dare—"

_"I wouldn't take another step if I were you." _

Kiso's blade hovered next to the captain's neck. Tatsuki snarled as he looked at the commodore once more. "You're a disgrace to your father's name."

"I don't recall asking for your approval," she replied.

He brushed the blade away and turned around. He briskly walked away without looking back, much to the confusion of the onlookers around them.

"By the way," Minako said. "If this man dies, so are we. Either help us here or return to your posts. Maybe it will help me forget your faces the moment I start writing my report about this little incident."

Her words hung in the air—chilling and nerve-wracking.

The other Navy personnel quickly dispersed while the two paramedics tended to the commander's wounds. Wiping her forehead, Inazuma let out a sigh of relief as she picked up Chikuma's radio.

The commander chuckled. "What was... that about, Minako?"

"C-Commander, stop talking!" Inazuma said.

"Kiso, you go ahead with Inazuma," Minako said. "We will be monitoring the situation back at my office."

"We? Y-You're not taking him to the hospital?"

"Well, someone has to watch over him. With the raid going on, a savvy opportunist might finish him off for good."

"I-Is there someone else here who would go that far?"

"I can think of a few more names who are out for his blood." Minako watched as the paramedics moved him to a stretcher. "But I'm actually more concerned about him causing even more trouble as it is."

Inazuma blinked. "Huh? How can he get into trouble when—" Another explosion from above rattled the building, causing the lights to flicker again. "T-That was close!"

Kiso glared at her terminal. "The outer field was breached. We have to move."

She grabbed the destroyer's arm and started running. Inazuma nearly stumbled a few times before she could match her pace. They turned around a corner and headed towards the elevators. "W-Wait, why are we going further in—"

"We'll have to protect the mag-ion generators from—" They stopped at the elevators. "Hmm, he didn't brief you about this?"

Her matter-of-fact tone stung Inazuma. "He's always keeping us in the dark," she muttered.

Kiso pressed the wall panel's button. "You won't get what you want if you don't speak up."

"I always approach him when I know he's hiding something."

"Then keep trying."

"Huh? But I've been trying very—"

"You need to be persistent. Keep your footing on the ground and don't let him discourage you." Kiso leaned on the wall. "There's no room for hesitation in the battlefield!"

"B-Battlefield?!"

The cruiser raised her hand and clenched it. "If you truly want something, grab onto it and make sure it doesn't slip away from your grasp!"

Inazuma gulped. "U-Um, but how am I supposed to do that?"

"You're saying that you've been trying your best? I don't know about that."

Kiso stepped closer and stared into her eyes. Inazuma recoiled, but the cruiser grabbed her by the shoulders. She averted her eyes. "U-Um... Miss Kiso, what are you doing?"

"This is what I was talking about." She grabbed the destroyer's cheeks so that she couldn't turn her head. "You can't expect someone to take you seriously if you can't even look at 'em in the eye."

Her heart pounding, Inazuma swallowed again and looked elsewhere. Anywhere but her face. "B-But this is..."

"See? You really need to work on—" The elevator door suddenly opened, and the people inside only stood there, staring at them with various shades of curiosity on their faces. "Hell you lookin' at?"

"U-Um, we're blocking them, Miss Kiso."

Kiso's face turned pink as she pulled Inazuma away. The passengers left in a hurry and the pair stepped inside the elevator. "A-Anyway, that's the gist of it," she said, pushing the ground floor button on the panel. "If Minako can make him talk, I'm sure you can do it too."

The doors closed again and the car began to ascend. Inazuma brought out the digital radio to call Chikuma and the others. "E-Eh? He deleted the frequency?"

"He's highly sensitive when it comes to his personal network." Kiso sighed. "Hey, how much do you know about the guy anyway?"

Inazuma's shoulders slumped. She looked at her right hand stained with his blood. "A few things. At this point, I'm not even sure if those are true or—"

Her vision blurred for a moment as her ears rang, resonating in her head to unbearable levels. Vertigo quickly overtook her body and she had to support herself with the handrail on her left.

Amidst the incessant buzzing, she heard a voice. Despite the painful sensation hammering her head, she persevered and concentrated.

_"Ca... you... er... me?"_

Kiso placed a hand on her shoulder. "H-Hey, what's wrong?"

_"Can you hear me, Inazuma?"_

The distorted voice was distinct, yet so far away.

"W-Who are you?"

_"Maricelle. Go back and fetch him—we'll rendezvous at the compound's eastern exit."_


	8. Kindred Wishes

**07—Kindred Wishes**

* * *

The quiet ambiance of the sea made her eyelids heavy.

Growing weary, she jumped off from the elevated turret and started walking.

But before she could venture further, the figure ran in front of her and spread its arms.

Her heart raced. She stopped and stared at its face devoid of features.

The standstill, however, didn't last a minute as the apparition stepped closer and grabbed her hand.

_Warm._

A wave of wistfulness crashed down on her.

She became less tense and allowed herself to be taken around the ship by this mysterious figure.

The ship's architecture and design intrigued her.

It reminded her of one outdated destroyer that the Navy had set up as a museum in the mainland.

But on top of satisfying her brimming curiosity, something was amiss.

From the boiler and engine rooms to the bridge, not a single soul could be seen.

They checked every cabin and compartment. Nothing.

Throughout her search, she also found out that every object inside was fixed and immovable.

For instance, she tried picking up a mug from a countertop, but it didn't budge at all. Same for drawers and cabinets.

All electronic equipment wasn't operational as well. Perhaps they were already too old to be used? No matter how she looked at them though, they looked real and functioning.

It was almost as if time within the ship was suspended for eternity.

And yet, the ship was still moving. This fact alone fascinated her.

As to where it was headed, she had no clue. There was no land in sight so far, so she had to wait and see for now.

A journey without a destination? That couldn't be.

There had to be some clue she overlooked somewhere.

The thought tickled her desire to explore the ship once more.

* * *

_"You sure you okay?"_

Kiso glanced over her shoulder as she asked this. Inazuma only replied with a curt nod.

Well, she wasn't sure herself. The ringing had subsided and she could walk on her own at the very least, but there was this certain feeling of dread that she couldn't shake off her mind.

It took a good amount of willpower to silence the voices she had been hearing earlier.

_"If you don't return to his side now, I will kill you."_

And there was no way she would listen to a selfish demand like that.

She had made her decision and she was going to see it through until the end.

"Did they already dispatch reinforcements to the training outpost?" Inazuma asked as she fiddled on the terminal given to her by Kiso.

"All of the remaining girls were sent to defend the southern coastline," the cruiser replied. "We have the marines set up perimeter around the field generators, but it's only a stopgap at best until we can get some of the fleets to help us here."

"I hope Hatsuyuki and the rest will be okay."

Aster had informed them that the bulk of the invading abyssal forces moved to the depot, razing everything they come across.

Their initial assault had paved the way for the rest of the Abyssals to make their landing on the northeast port. As a result, the facilities there were quickly overrun. Minako had dispatched a combined fleet led by Maya and Haruna to the western sector of the depot in an attempt to minimize the damages. Chaos broke out, but they managed to hold off the landing force from advancing further inland. Still, it didn't stop the Abyssals from launching planes to widen the destruction across the base.

Aerial contacts wouldn't pose much threat if most their anti-air batteries weren't reduced to pieces so early in the battle. The enemy's ruthless and precise bombardments on the island's strategic locations greatly crippled their counteroffensive capabilities, and add up the fact that the troops stationed there were struck before they could mobilize against the incoming threats.

Probably the only reason why the main compound was mostly unscathed was the fact that the inner defensive systems of the Mintaka Hill Ridge were still intact. And if the abyssal planes were to strike in droves, they would be overwhelmed even before the enemy's southern forces could make their landing on the island.

As for the ongoing battle in the south, things were looking grim for them:

The Abyssals had managed to break through the Navy's defensive line, inching closer to the island's shores. It was reported that high-ranking abyssal ships were leading the fleet's front line, and their unforeseen appearance caught everyone off guard. They utilized their preemptive advantage to the fullest—Orion's satellite island, Rigel, was completely cut off as it was subjected to concentrated fire, dramatically reducing the Navy's firepower against the invading forces.

Inazuma and Kiso exited the command sector and into the open field dotted with APCs, gunships, and other miscellaneous vehicles. A wide, hollow structure sat in the middle of the field where the island's multifield system was being generated. Other than the anti-air turrets and missile launchers surrounding the place, it didn't look fortified enough to withstand direct enemy fire.

She tried to calm herself by looking at the sky, but the occasional flybys and bombardments kept reminding her of the inevitable. Enemy shells slamming the azure translucent domes shook the ground with every hit. Heavier salvos, especially from abyssal battleships, weakened the multifield so that the following shells could pierce through them. One sweeping glance in front of them and she could already make out the damaged buildings, vehicles, and batteries from the attacks.

A few marines approached them and saluted. Kiso returned the gesture as she scanned the area with her eyes. "Lieutenant Ichiro, how ready are we?"

"Can't say," the man replied. "We're still beefing up the blockade. We also have two armored squads prepped up, but this'll be their first against Abyssals."

"Hmph, we shall see if those suits are worth the investment."

He glanced at Inazuma. "Is she…?"

Kiso waved a hand. "Yes. Have any objections or what?"

Inazuma felt some hostility as the marine lieutenant glanced at her again. He looked down at his forearm terminal. "Anyway, we've received report that an abyssal unit went through the Alnilam Passage. Won't be long before they start knocking on the gates."

"How about the eastern pass?"

"All clear. They must've figured out that going through the ridge's tunnel is the fastest way to get here."

"And where's Teruzuki?"

"Passage checkpoint." The marine grimaced. "I know we're shorthanded, but are they seriously expecting us to defend the generators with just the three of you girls?"

"Well, time to see the fruits of your training then." Kiso smirked. "We're counting on you."

He shook his head as he ran towards an APC. The side door opened, gesturing the other marines to enter. Kiso climbed to the top of the vehicle and Inazuma quickly followed. As their preparations were done, they made their way to the checkpoint.

Squadrons of abyssal planes started to swoop in from the ridge's western edge, but they were met with heavy fire from the anti-air turrets in the area. Still, the planes persisted through—some of them even crashing into the turrets when struck by the barrage. It seemed that they were willing to trade hefty losses so that they could take out the island's defenses faster.

Gunfire only grew louder as the APC approached the bustling intersection where the checkpoint was located. Ahead of them were Teruzuki and her turret familiars, adding their own stream of shells towards the cloudy sky. They hopped off the vehicle as the APC stopped in front of a guardhouse.

Kiso ran to Teruzuki's side, handing out a card case. "Thanks for waiting!"

"T-This is just what we needed!" The destroyer took the card case and bowed down. "Thank you very much!"

"We need you in tiptop shape, but you don't have to hold back either—shoot everything that isn't ours!"

"U-Um, we'll do our best!" She signalled her familiar turrets to hold their fire. She held up four cards, vanishing one by one as her frame radiated a faint white glow. Her eyes landed on Inazuma. "Oh… u-um, hello! I'm glad to see that you're okay now."

Inazuma blinked. "E-Erm… have we met before?"

"I was on guard duty in your room the other ni—" A violent burst of energy from above shook the earth as the fields were breached once again. "Hyaa!"

The shelling that followed caused everyone to scramble to the nearest structure or vehicle they could use as shelter. The vicinity was consumed in a blinding light as the projectiles struck the field. One shell detonated near the intersection, sending dirt and shrapnel all over the place. Inazuma peeked from behind a jeep and saw a gaping crater not far from them.

She could hear the sigh of relief from the marines on her left. "I-Is it over?" Teruzuki asked, hugging her familiar turrets.

"Looks like it," a female marine replied, pointing at the sky. "The field's back on again."

As they were about to assess the damage and casualties from the blasts, enemy shells whistled from the north. "They're firing from the other side!" another marine shouted.

The shells detonated moments after hitting peak altitude, raining down countless fragments to the blockade below.

"Please get down!" Inazuma stepped in front of the marines and activated her shield. The saffron mag-ion field expanded just in time, saving them from the incendiary shrapnel. However, the others didn't fare well as she could hear the cries for help around them.

"Damnit, they're trying to clear out the blockade!" Kiso said, gesturing the others to the APC. "We have to fall back!"

"B-But what about the others?" Inazuma asked.

"Don't worry about us," the female marine said, running past her. "Go!"

They climbed back on the APC as another wave crashed into the area. A marine wearing an augmentation suit deployed a bluish mag-ion field behind the blockade, which was enough to cover most of the intersection. Still, a lot of the searing fragments managed to penetrate the shield and Inazuma could only shut her eyes from the carnage.

"We're getting slaughtered here!" Kiso shouted. "Why are you taking so long taking those bastards down anyway?"

"They're having trouble with the enemies trying to flank them on both sides," Aster replied.

She fell next to a trembling Teruzuki as the APC accelerated away from the chaos. Suddenly, one of Teruzuki's familiar flicked a bullet to the destroyer's face. "Ouch… w-what is it, Hati?"

The familiar started shooting at the sky. Inazuma trailed the bullets trajectory and saw a black dot circling at the edge of the island's shoreline. "There!"

Teruzuki gasped. "A spotter! W-We have to take it out!"

Kiso slammed the vehicle's hatch. "Get us to the clearing!" She looked back to Teruzuki. "Can you shoot it down from here?"

"I-It's within effective range, but actually hitting it is—"

Inazuma was suddenly overcome with a heavy, suffocating sensation.

Her eyes widened as the scenery before them was engulfed by a gray shroud, slowly spreading towards them. The grassy fields and lush trees began to wilt as they fade into the abyss's ethereal influence. A resounding bang could be heard from within the ridge's tunnel. Another crash followed and the gate's entirety shook, forming a huge dent in its center.

She looked over at Kiso. "Is that—"

"They're here," the cruiser said. "Get ready, you two."

A final explosive force smashed into the gate. The massive structure finally succumbed and collapsed outwards, rooting it out from its foundations.

Two Ru-class battleships stepped out of the smoke and unleashed salvos on the blockade. The marines' artillery quickly responded in kind—the resounding cannon booms drowned out the distant noises as shells arced towards the passage's entrance. Surviving marines from the intersection opened fire at the growing inferno, but the remaining turrets on the ridge turned against them. With the enemy's combined firepower, they pushed out the forces occupying the blockade.

Ichiro climbed out of the hatch. "Got any plans?" he asked.

"Clever," Kiso said. "They're using the tunnel as cover from aerial attacks and artillery. Charging at them head-on would be suicide. Their shield is incredibly dense."

"Don't think we have anything that could punch through that field," the gunner said.

Ichiro nodded. "Just a minute ago, one of our guys radioed that a prototype anti-abyssal rifle managed to pierce its surface, but the round disintegrated just as quick."

"They're still experimenting on those? Making some progress at least."

"Coordinate with the rest and tell 'em to keep shooting," Kiso said. "We'll have to keep them occupied and prevent them from getting a clear shot at the field generators."

Ichiro's eyes narrowed. "Cross your fingers that we'll get reinforcements from the south."

"Help will come—we just have to hold them off."

"You almost sound too sure about that."

"Not like they left us with other options here." Kiso grinned as she stood up, her turrets extending out of her core structure. "Alright, give us a good spot."

The marines' barrage went on as the abyssal ships turned their attention to the distant weapon systems at the compound's outskirts. After the last artillery strike, the enemy fleet's Airfield Princess seized the opportunity to deploy her planes. Abyssal bombers took out the remaining armored vehicles at the intersection, working their way towards the headquarters' compound.

"A princess?!" Teruzuki uttered. "W-What should we do—"

Another bullet smacked her forehead. "Oof," the turret gunner said, wincing. "That gotta hurt."

"N-Now you too, Skoll? I… I just need more time to prepare myself and—"

It was Kiso's turn to slap her forehead. "Teruzuki, focus!"

"Y-Yes, ma'am!" Teruzuki kneeled and looked up to the swarm, her anti-air turrets at the ready. Her familiars did the same, raising their barrels upwards. "A-Alright, let's do this!"

The whole vehicle shuddered as Teruzuki and her familiars let loose volley of shells at a high angle. The rounds then exploded into shrapnel, catching most of the planes about to pass over them. The rest were shot down by ground turrets and SAM launchers from the compound's defenses.

"Hell yeah!" Kiso shouted. "That's what I'm talking about!"

The abyssal princess launched a new set of planes, with one squadron heading towards them. "Switching to standard, full-auto." Teruzuki's gun turrets hissed and clattered as her mag-ions flared up once more. Two of her main turrets transformed into four pairs of anti-air autocannons. "F-Fire!"

Once again, she scattered incendiary rounds skyward while Inazuma and the APC's gunner picked off the others that may try to outflank them.

Surprisingly, this strategy seemed to be working well—the planes were being diverted from their course, taking some heat off from the compound proper. It was also giving the marines a much needed time to reorganize and prepare their own counterattack.

"Miss Inazuma," Aster said. "Miss Haruna informed me that it might take a little longer for them to reach the other end of the passage."

"Tell 'em to hurry up! We don't have all day!" Kiso homed in on her targets with her batteries. "Firing broadside!"

The APC teetered to the right again, but the cruiser immediately stomped on the vehicle before it completely loses balance. Nevertheless, her aim was impeccable, nailing the enemies by the entrance. The abyssal ships seemed to have noticed them as they were now training their guns at their current course.

"Step on it!" the gunner shouted. Soon enough, shells started falling around them. Inazuma held on the handrail as the APC made a sharp turn.

"Huwaa! M-Miss Kiso, what should we do?!" Teruzuki asked.

Kiso returned fire with her own salvo. "Keep at it!" she shouted. "Take your finger off the trigger and we're done for!"

Inazuma braced herself as the exchange of gunfire quickly intensified.

One shell landed too close and they were knocked away by its tremendous blast. Her persisting headache only grew worse as she hit and tumbled across the rocky ground.

She let out a sigh after seeing the overturned APC ahead of her. The side door opened as the passengers crawled out of the battered vehicle, but relief was quickly replaced with despair as four abyssal planes made a steep descent towards them. She struggled to stand up and aimed her guns upwards, but she knew that she wouldn't make it in time. "N-No!"

Out of nowhere, a purplish streak crashed into the abyssal bombers, consuming them in a screen of crackling flames. Fighter planes burst out of the smoke and intercepted the other hostile planes, showering them with lead. The explosions were followed by the cheers of the marines.

"Someone's broadcasting an open channel," Aster said. "Linking it now to your terminal."

_"Still tryin' to play hero, eh? But whatever—let us in on the fun!"_

The moment Inazuma recognized the voice, a chain of explosions devoured the ridge's passage. Kiso's invigorating laughter was heard over the comms. "Ha! About time they showed up!"

Inazuma's eyes widened as she looked at her left. "T-They're our reinforcements?"

"Yuu sounded too confident even when Minako told him about the siege—I just knew he had something up his sleeve. Those girls will be puttin' in a lot of work here."

"Stop," Chikuma said. "You're getting your hopes up on the wrong idea. We're here for him."

Urakaze's voice followed. "Whaddja think, Inazuma?" she said. "It all worked out in the end for you, huh? Let's make this count!"

"Y-Yes!" Inazuma replied. "Thank you!"

Their celebration was cut short with the booming of enemy guns. Shells started falling across the field.

"Uwaa!" Teruzuki shouted, grabbing her familiars with each arm. She started running in circles. "I think we just made them angry!"

"That means they're getting pressured!" Kiso pointed at a downhill pathway. "Get cover for now!"

They ran around a slope, hiding their position from the enemy fleet's vantage point. Cannon fire could still be heard from the ridge. "Alright, with aircraft carriers backing us up, we now have a fighting chance against them. We just need—"

"Hold yer mouth for a sec," Ryuujou said. "Inazuma, I wanna make sure he's safe. Teruzuki told us that something bad happened to him."

"Y-Yeah, he got shot," Inazuma replied. Kiso looked at her as if she did something horrible.

"He got what?!"

Inazuma shook her head. "B-But he's getting treated right now, so—"

"We need to get to him. _Right now_."

"Stick with the plan!" Kiso shouted. "I thought you guys have something that will reinforce the fields!"

"Stay outta this! We ain't takin' orders from you!"

"You don't get it, do you? We need everyone here if we want to have a chance against—"

"Stop your whinin' and just get yer ass to work! We're doin' this our way!"

"Just the three of us is enough," Chikuma said. "We're opening another channel so that we could communicate with the rest."

"Just three, huh?" Kiso rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand. "F-Fine. Can you link up the units for us, Aster?"

"Affirmative," Aster replied.

"I've radioed someone to pick us up," Ichiro said. "We should be ready to join the other units on the fro—"

"There's a jeep headed here," a marine called out from the far left. "Don't think we'd fit all in."

"Whoever that is, I didn't call that one."

Inazuma looked at the speeding vehicle. "That's Tanikaze," Ryuujou said. "She's gonna pick ya up."

Some of the marines dived to safety as the armored jeep skidded to a stop, creating a dusty trail in its wake. A fleet girl poked her head out of the driver's window. "All aboard!" she saluted. "Tanikaze's Express Service, ready to roll!"

The back row door swung open. "Inazuma, hurry!" Urakaze shouted.

Inazuma ran towards the jeep, only glance back at Kiso and the other marines. Kiso gave her a nod and she returned the gesture. As soon as she climbed inside, the engine roared as the jeep accelerated away. Chuckling, Urakaze reached out to her side to close and lock the door.

"Oops, sorry 'bout that!" Tanikaze said. "We need to get there on schedule!"

Her body froze as she saw the passenger at the front. Urakaze placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it. "Relax, relax. She's on our side."

"B-But she's—"

The girl clad in a frilly black dress turned from her seat. Her scarlet eyes had a curious glint in them as she stared at Inazuma. "Say hello, Marvie," Tanikaze said. "She's the commander's secretary, so be nice to her!"

Inazuma glanced at Urakaze. "S-So, she's Marvie?" she whispered. The blue-haired fleet girl only smiled in response.

With an unchanging expression, the Isolated Island Demon extended her hand. Inazuma gulped as she took the hand and gently shook it. _C-Cold…_

The vehicle suddenly swerved, and Inazuma and Urakaze were thrown to their right. "Sorry!" Teruzuki said, laughing.

Urakaze picked up her hat on the floor. "Jeez, stop that!"

"C-Can you even see the road from your seat?" Inazuma asked.

"Nope!" Teruzuki replied. "But I have my homing radar on!"

"H-Homing radar?"

"It doesn't matter if I can't see! My instincts will be my eyes!"

Careless driving and incessant bombardments aside, they managed to reach the structure housing the generator without any accidents. They stopped by the fences and left the jeep, but Inazuma felt that their lucky streak ended the second she saw some enemy shells whistling towards them.

"T-Take cover!" Inazuma shouted, pouring her mag-ions into her shield.

"No need for that!" Tanikaze pointed at the sky. "Show 'em, Marvie!"

The abyssal girl raised her hand and a purplish dome covered the entire structure. The projectiles detonated upon reaching the field, saving them from the blasts and shrapnel. Inazuma had her mouth open in awe. _W-Well, she is an installation-type abyssal ship._

Remaining cautious, the marines in the perimeter aimed their weapons at the abyssal ship. Tanikaze shrugged and crossed her arms. "You guys either pick our side or piss Marvie off!"

"W-What should we do?" Inazuma asked.

Urakaze summoned her armaments. "If we can't reason with them, then we have no choice but to—"

"H-Hold on!" one marine officer shouted. "Commodore Minako transmitted a message just now—these girls are on our side… even that abyssal ship with them!"

"What are you saying?!" another marine said. "That abyssal chick could turn the situation worse than it is now!"

"And yet she saved us and the generators from that last shelling."

"She's still an Abyssal! For all we know, this could be their plan to—"

"Enough! Resume current operations!" Confusion befell around them, but the officer seemed to have made his decision. Inazuma gulped as he looked towards them. "I know it would be pointless to ask this now, but is it true that you're here to help us?"

"Y-Yes!" she replied, saluting.

The officer paused for a moment before nodding. "I've heard the details from Minako. Do what you must—we have no intentions of giving up this island to those creatures."

Urakaze smiled. "T-That sure is convenient."

"Good for us, eh Marvie?" Tanikaze said, slapping the abyssal girl's back.

Marvie, seemingly unaware of her surroundings, had her attention on the engagement of fighter planes in the distance. She raised her hand once more and mag-ions radiated out of her whole frame. A black mass appeared behind her, forming an airstrip. Urakaze stepped in front of her, waving her hands up. "I-I think you shouldn't send planes out for now."

She cocked her head to the side and lowered her arm. Tanikaze took her other arm and dragged her closer to the stairs leading down to the structure's lower platforms. "Leave Marvie to me, so you guys go ahead!"

Urakaze nodded. "Lead the way, Inazuma!"

"R-Right!"

Shortly after the destroyer pair made a break for the compound's northern gate, a familiar stifling sensation from earlier returned, preventing Inazuma from taking another step.

A crimson mag-ion beam erupted from the center of the structure. For a moment, it seemed that the multifield layers were breached yet again, but the resulting energy ripples from the piercing light engulfed them in a pale red hue. The outermost field no longer flickered when struck by enemy shells. She was amazed and relieved, but she felt somewhat conflicted.

"What's wrong?" Urakaze called out.

"I-Is this really okay?"

"I'd put my faith on Marvie more than those marines. Not that we got other choices right now."

Her voice was clear and convincing, but there was a hint of bitterness in her words. Inazuma put it aside for now and focused her attention back to the task at hand. Even with an extra field deployed in the area, the headquarters still suffered damages from the Abyssals' offensive.

As they reached the gate, a few marines ran towards them. Inazuma tensed up. "U-Um, you have to let her in! She's—"

One of them shook her head. "Thank goodness you guys went back—perfect timing since we're about to contact Kiso about it."

"Eh? Wh-What's wrong?"

"Some of the Abyssals infiltrated the compound. We're trying to contain the damages, but what can we do against those monsters anyway?"

Inazuma looked at Urakaze, who seemed to be deep in thought. "E-Even here?"

"We have no numbers on how many got in, but we've confirmed that at least one of them is a princess—"

An explosion broke out from the nearest office block. Urakaze grimaced. "T-This is bad. We gotta get to him quick."

"Miss Urakaze," Inazuma said, "can you help us?"

"Y-You don't need to make that kind of face…" She shook her head. "O-Okay, you got me! I'll give you a hand!"

"W-We already sent a squad to hold them off," the marine said. "You two can still catch up!"

* * *

The pair rushed inside the building and followed the sounds of gunfire and explosions from the upper floors, but upon reaching the fourth floor, everything seemed to have died down. The concentration of mag-ions in the place made it hard for them to track the intruders. They left the stairwell and made their approach without a sound.

The stench of flesh and blood greeted them the second they reached the hazy atrium. Glass shards and other rubble covered the entire hall. Urakaze took point once more, keeping a low profile. "Tanikaze told me about this strange transmission that Marvie was pickin' up a little earlier. It's gotta be them."

"A transmission from the Abyssals, huh?"

"This place's a mess. You're absolutely sure he's not in this building?"

"Y-Yes, they're in Miss Minako's office right now. This block is connected to the main building, so we'll be able to get there quick."

Among the bodies that littered the floor, they saw one marine propped up against a pillar. Urakaze kneeled down and checked his vitals. "He's still alive. Barely."

Inazuma sighed and placed a hand over her ear. "Aster?"

"Consider it done, Miss Inazuma," the fairy replied. "Can you hold on for a moment? I'll need to re-establish the channels from the north."

"It's okay. Thank you very much."

Then, they heard a voice further down the hall:

_"H-Help, someone! C-Can someone... please..."_

"M-Miss Urakaze, I'll bring her here. Can you please tend to his wounds for a moment?"

Urakaze nodded. "Careful, Inazuma. They could be hidin' somewhere close."

_"A-Anyone? I… I'm scared…"_

With her shield ready, she inched closer to the source of the pained voice. When she turned around a corner, a hand grabbed her by the neck and slammed her to the wall.

Once, twice.

And finally, a heavy jab into her stomach forced the wind out of her.

She then heard a soft chuckle.

_"I knew you'd fall for that." _

Still reeling from the attack, Inazuma forced herself to reopen her eyes. When their gazes met, her heart started pounding quickly at the familiar face smiling at her. "You girls alone are already disgusting enough, but that goody two-shoes attitude of yours? I hate it the most."

Her purple eyes were seething with anger and contempt. Inazuma couldn't look away—staring at them made her body unresponsive. The awful ringing in her ears returned as jolts of pain ran through her head. Urakaze could hear calling out for her before a nearby blast shook the building.

"I told you to meet us at the western gate of the compound, but you're actually a smug girl, aren't you?"

"M-Maricelle..."

"But before I kill you, tell me where he's being kept in this place."

"I… I won't!"

Another solid punch to her face sent her in a daze. The abyssal girl's grip tightened. "I guess it's true. You really are stubborn."

Out of desperation, Inazuma fired a shell dart on her assailant's waist. Maricelle only laughed. "Was that supposed to hurt?"

"If you don't let me go… I'll have to…"

As soon as she pulled the trigger, the abyssal girl began to convulse, tottering backwards. Inazuma kicked her to the wall before bolting down the corridor. "Miss Urakaze!" she called out. "A-Are you okay?!"

She spun around just in time to see Maricelle aiming her hand cannon towards her. "You're so dead!"

Luck was on her side this time as she lunged inside an office room. Maricelle followed, but Inazuma already had her guns trained at the doorway. She launched a full-powered salvo, hitting her target dead on. Before she could make her next move, a fist appeared through the smoke. Inazuma barely dodged the attack as she leaned to left and immediately countered with her shoulder mount.

The assaulting shadow was faster as it disappeared into the mass of smoke. Inazuma used the same cover to her advantage as well, dodging another blow. She latched her anchor to a steel shelf beside her before sliding under a table. An explosion suddenly shook the room and a good chunk of the ceiling collapsed.

As the smoke began to clear, Maricelle started walking towards her. "Cornered, aren't we?" she said, flinging the table between them with a single hand.

Inazuma backpedaled until her back touched the wall. The moment Maricelle lowered her guard, she activated her winch and launched herself forward. The abyssal ship let out a cry as she was rammed from both ways. "Y-You little—"

Anticipating a counterattack, Inazuma intercepted a swift hook with her shield, but she lost her balance and fell to the floor. She followed up with a low sweep, but her leg phased through the abyssal girl's legs. Maricelle grinned at her shocked expression. "Yeah, I get that a lot." She aimed her gun at Inazuma's head. "Now die!"

A bright fiery flash. Then, a deafening boom.

Once again, her shield's field function saved her from the point-blank explosion, but it wasn't strong enough to protect her completely. Without any strength to lift her arms, she could only scream as excruciating pain overwhelmed her being—most of her agony coming from her left eye sliced by shrapnel. The pain was so much that she didn't even realize the blast sent her to the room below them.

While her opponent was just a destroyer like her, Maricelle was on a different level. There was no way she could win against a princess-class ship.

"Oh, come on. Out of tricks already?" Inazuma's broken cries were silenced by merciless fists. "On second thought, I think I'll enjoy this after all!"

_"Enough. Playtime's over, Mari."_

Inazuma could feel another presence in the room and forced herself to open her other eye.

A Ne-class cruiser was standing before her. Arms crossed, she had Maricelle restrained using her tail-like appendage.

Maricelle struggled. "Put me down—I'm not done with her! And give me back my hat!"

"I'll return it only after you help our cute little destroyer here."

"W-Why would I do that?!"

"Because I will tell him that you've been a spoiled brat as of late and needs to be punished accordingly."

"Y-You won't!"

The abyssal cruiser's eye narrowed, wearing the destroyer's hat. "I mean it, Maricelle. If you had killed her a minute earlier, believe when I say that even your regeneration factor won't save you after I'm done dealing with you."

"Kgh! Fine! Just put me down!"

"Don't try anything funny now."

Inazuma let out a weak whimper as the abyssal destroyer went to her side. She shut her eye and assumed the worst when she felt a hand over her throbbing eye. Her body started burning up as Maricelle's mag-ions entered her system.

Oddly enough, the pain in her injured eye began to subside despite the feverish sensation. She opened her good eye again to see Maricelle sneering at her before looking back at the cruiser. "You owe me a dozen chocolate bars for this, Nerine!"

"Well, we could procure the vending machine downstairs as soon as we finish our business here. But for now…" Nerine crouched beside Inazuma. "We meet again, little one."

Lightheaded and tired, the destroyer tried to sort everything out in her head. After all, she wouldn't want to say anything that would make the situation worse. "W-What happened to Miss Urakaze?"

"I didn't kill her," the abyssal cruiser replied. "Just to make things perfectly clear, I don't want to be held responsible to the damages Maricelle caused here."

"Shut up, Nerine!"

Inazuma blinked. "W-What do you want from us? Why are you doing this?"

"We came here for him."

"H-Huh?"

The cruiser tilted her head slightly. "I see. Well, you should probably know by now that his network is quite extensive."

"Y-You were the ones who saved me before, right?"

Maricelle glared down at her. "That's right. We saved your ass twice and you have the nerve to ignore my orders? Who do you think you are, you arrogant—"

"Quite a troublesome child." Nerine carried the destroyer and let her settle on her back. "Can you tell us where they're hiding him? Do you think he's still in this building?"

"I'll tell you." Inazuma paused, glancing at her defunct terminal. "B-But can you promise me one thing? Please don't kill anyone while you're here."

"Oh, is that all?"

"A-And um, please bring Miss Urakaze with us too."

"Wow." The abyssal destroyer approached Inazuma and poked her forehead. "Are you asking for another beating already?"

"Mari, fetch the other destroyer and we'll be on our way."

She growled. "Now you owe me two dozens, you hear?! And gimme my hat!"

Inazuma gasped as she happened to open both eyes. Her vision in her injured eye was blurry, but she could now see nonetheless. Even her damage control fairies were equally shocked at her fast recovery. Just a little more and she would have the strength to walk on her own again. But for now, she had to play along.

They went to the central building without delay, and getting to the commodore's office was easier than she thought it would be. It probably helped that most of the people there were already evacuated to the underground levels. Maricelle and Nerine quickly neutralized the few armored marines guarding the passageway and the rest was pretty much in the bag.

As they reached the office, Inazuma scanned her card pass on the room's panel and sliding door opened. Maricelle hurried inside, tossed Urakaze to the floor, and headed straight to the sofa where the commander was resting.

Shiranui grabbed her wrist. "Stop."

With one quick twisting motion, Maricelle restrained the pink-haired destroyer from behind. Shiranui procured a small knife from under her vest and plunged it into Maricelle's thigh. She followed up with a high kick, but abyssal destroyer blocked the blow and grabbed her ankle. Maricelle landed two jabs in her stomach and slammed her to the floor.

Shiranui rolled to the side and pulled out her handgun from her leg holster. She fired twice, hitting the princess' arm and shoulder. Surprisingly, the rounds penetrated her skin, but it didn't stop abyssal destroyer from advancing. Maricelle brought her foot up, but it was slow enough for Shiranui to intercept the kick.

However, her hands merely phased through the leg, leaving her open for a vicious counterattack. Shiranui let out a pained cry as she parried the blow with her other arm. Shifting her stance, she threw a heavy punch of her own. The fist connected to the other destroyer's face, drawing blood from her mouth.

Both of their armaments materialized as they broke off to gain some distance. Inazuma felt the need to interfere, but at the same time, she couldn't find the strength to do so.

Maricelle turned her head back, grinning. "Is that all?" Her right leg below the metal band began to flicker as she pulled out the knife. "But I wonder if you can keep this up with your arm broken and all."

Shiranui grinned as well. "Let your fists do the talking. That was just a warm up."

"Big words coming from someone who fell from the same trick twice."

Unperturbed to developments unfolding before her, Minako was merely sipping tea at her desk. "It would be self-defeating if you came here just to fight again. He's in a stable condition now, so don't worry about him too much."

Maricelle glared at her. "I can see that! If it had been any worse, I'll exterminate every last of you cretins in this island!"

"She's right, Mari," Nerine said. "Taking it out on everyone won't satisfy your craving for sweets."

"Grr… this is why I wouldn't mind going solo instead of dragging you along."

"So, what brings you here?" the commodore asked.

"It doesn't concern you," the cruiser replied. "We shall tell him when he comes around."

"Fair enough." Minako motioned at the long table. "Take a seat in the meantime. I don't want you girls rampaging in here or there would be unfortunate implications that you're better off not experiencing."

"Oh?" Smirking, the abyssal princess walked towards the officer's desk and stabbed it with the knife. "What can you do, exactly?"

She returned a similar smile. "In more ways than you can imagine. After all, I'm quite confident at making things work in my favor." Maricelle pitched the teapot through the window, but Minako remained unfazed, setting her cup down. "Throwing a hissy fit won't convince anyone, you know?"

"Y-You condescending bitch! I'll kill you!"

Before she could lunge at the officer, Nerine grabbed her from behind. "Oh dear, it's getting into your head badly."

Shiranui had a rather disinterested look on her face. "What's happening now?"

"She just needs her daily intake of sugar."

"Chocolate?" Minako looked at Shiranui. "Do we have any in the cupboard?"

Without a word, the pink-haired destroyer checked the cupboard's compartments. When she was done, she placed a few bars on the table. Nerine reached out for one and wagged it in front of Maricelle's face. "Give. Me. That!"

The abyssal princess broke free from her captor. Grabbing all the other goodies, she settled on a recliner next to the sofa and took a bite on a chocolate bar. Suddenly, she shoved the all of the bars in her mouth and started chewing away.

She gulped everything down with a satisfied look on her face, but her mood reverted as she became conscious of everyone again. "Y-You guys are creepy, but whatever! Chocolate caramel really is brilliant!"

Her deep, echoing voice disappeared. She seemed like a different person now!

"Stress eating?" Minako asked.

Nerine pulled a chair from the long table. "You could say that," she replied, sitting down. "I wonder when he'll wake up."

_"Well, just about nowish. You guys were pretty loud."_

Inazuma suddenly turned her head, causing her neck to ache slightly. "C-Commander?!"

"Yuu?!" Maricelle put down her chocolate bars and rushed to his side. "Are you okay? Where does it hurt? Do you want me to—"

He grabbed her face, shoving her away. "Shut up. Too noisy." He looked at Nerine. "And didn't I tell you to wait? You didn't have to come here."

"We have to make sure you're still alive," the abyssal cruiser replied. "Please consider the circumstances on our end as well."

"I'll hear more of what you have to say later." He paused, lying on his left side. "Can you give me a boost, Mari?"

"R-Right away!"

The abyssal princess placed a hand on his exposed shoulder and concentrated. A warm, light shade of lilac enveloped her body. Inazuma watched as the radiating mag-ions were transmitted into his body.

The commander's breathing quickened, clutching his chest. He suddenly shuddered and lurched facing them. "Bear with it, Yuu," Maricelle said, keeping him from falling off the sofa. "Just a little more..."

Nerine stood up from her seat. "No, that's enough. He's at his limit."

"Jeez... I know, I know."

Inazuma began to panic as he tried to sit up. "C-Commander?! Don't—"

Pain was still evident on his face as he managed to lean on the sofa's back. Maricelle scowled at her. "What, you think I'd fail?"

"N-No... it's just that..."

The commander caught his breath, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "You don't have to get that flustered. I... just need a little more rest." He closed his eyes. "How are we holding up, Minako?"

"We're doing well, thanks to those girls. Reinforcements from nearby bases are on their way as well, but there's something else you need to know." The commodore glanced at Aster and Freya. "Are you two done patching up the feed?"

"Yes," Freya replied, "it took us a while to clear up the noise though."

"Fire it up then."

A video feed from an observation tower appeared on the wall monitor, but only for a few seconds before screen blackened. Out of nowhere, Ram and Luna materialized and fell on the table. "A-Are you alright?" Inazuma asked.

Ram rolled over on her back. "I-I'm so pooped. I'm taking a break!"

"It costs so much energy just to render the feed in real time," Luna said. "I-I'm sorry."

"It can't be helped," Aster said. "It's not a direct channel after all. Plus, with the high amounts of volatile mag-ions affecting the area, we're pressed to use this option until they could restore the networks back online."

"Interference of some kind?" the commander said. "More importantly, why are they here?"

Inazuma raised an eyebrow. "They?"

Minako propped an elbow on the desk, resting her cheek in her hand. "Yes, those Irregular abyssal ships you've fought before appeared again. The situation in the south has turned into a free-for-all."

"I-Is everything going to be okay?"

"It works out in our favor since their scuffle among themselves is buying us time until reinforcements get here." She stared at her tablet. "The timing of their appearance, however…"

The commander looked like he was lost in thought for a moment. "We'll find out later."

Inazuma was more worried about how laid-back the two officers were about the raid. She wanted to go back and help everyone in the field, but she couldn't leave the commander alone either. The other two abyssal ships seemed to have gotten comfortable, not making a sound from their seats. Other than the distant sounds of artillery and occasional calls Minako had to make or answer, the room was unnervingly still.

"What's the matter, Inazuma? Do you not have faith in your comrades?"

Minako easily saw through her and she could only bow her head down in response. To ease her worries, the commodore activated the wall monitor again so that everyone could see how the ongoing operations in the island were doing at the moment.

On the screen, the map of the island was displayed along with various icons and color overlays scattered across different areas, constantly changing in a given interval. Minako motioned her over to give her a dark blue pen. Upon recognizing the device, Inazuma pointed its sensor on the island's northern shoreline. A window appeared, displaying the active squads and fleets currently in that sector.

She was relieved that her friends were all accounted for. They had suffered damages, but their task of driving the Abyssals back to the sea was going as planned. Ryuujou's group and the marines followed through, forcing the enemy fleet occupying the ridge tunnel to retreat. Listening through the radio chatter and open channels, she was on the edge of her seat cheering them on with Ram and Luna.

It was also somewhat nostalgic that she got to experience a software application similar to the one they were using during her days in the mainland. That one was smaller in scope and made for practicality, but this particular version was improved in every aspect. She already forgot the specifics, but data control centers of that level were exclusively issued for higher-ranking military officials.

For a Navy commodore to have authorization to use such tool for her personal use seemed too good to be true_. I know that we can trust her, but..._

"Oh, is there something on your mind? Have you come up with any strategies that we could use?"

Minako was looking straight at her, smiling. She quickly shook her head. _I… I'll hold it off for later._

* * *

It wasn't long until aerial reinforcements turned the tide of battle to their favor. The cornered enemies from the north put up resistance for a while, but they broke off and retreated when allied fleets entered their visual range. On the other hand, the hectic engagement in the south lasted until nightfall. The sheer tenacity of the hostile forces required the Navy to reorganize its forces to drive them out of the island's waters for good.

Later that night, an assembly was called to discuss the Navy's security and restoration initiative for the next few days. Or at least, that was the agenda for the first thirty minutes of the meeting. The commander was pushed into the spotlight as several council members insisted that he was the one who orchestrated the abyssal raid.

They were even quick to present a data transmission that they had intercepted from the commander's terminal, which contained sensitive information on the island's design and several security protocols. They also had encrypted channels that were detected since the last two days. While their existence weren't necessarily pointing fingers at him, they still could be used against him for the sole fact that the encryption technique of the channel were typically employed by the Abyssals themselves.

The commander, however, seemed to be occupied with something else as the reports went on. Perhaps he was just apathetic to the people badmouthing him? He didn't defend himself from all the accusations thrown at him as if he was never there. And when he was asked by the council to defend his case, he only returned a cold glare to his detractors. Some officials reminded everyone that they were getting sidetracked, but the others couldn't move on in an attempt to corner him here and now.

In the midst of the brewing storm, Commodore Minako tapped her microphone. "Hold on." Some of the council members' faces twisted in disgust. "It looks like some of you are in a hurry to convict him, and yet it's disappointing that everything you have on him is purely circumstantial."

The officer who was relaying the report earlier shot up from his seat. "Wh-What did you say?"

"Well, I can't deny that he did leak those confidential data to the enemy."

"So you're admitting to the Council that—"

She held a palm up. "Oh, like I said, let's not get carried away." She took a deep breath. "But for the benefit of everyone, allow me to get to the point: him sending those data wasn't an act of betrayal."

"A-Are you honestly telling us that he sent those files on purpose?!"

"Well, what if I do?" She smiled. "You're so fixated on pinning the blame on him that you're not seeing the bigger picture here. If the Abyssals were looking to destroy this island in the first place, then why did they bother sending their troops inland?"

"We had enough of this nonsense! What are you trying to imply?"

Minako shook her head. "They could've just launched an island-wide bombardment to wipe us out—even our most advance field generators barely protected us from heavy, concentrated shelling earlier.

"We might have better odds of defeating the enemy fleets they throw at us, but everything would be pointless if the island had already been turned into a floating wasteland. She turned slightly, glancing at the commander. "It was for that reason that he deliberately leaked those data to give them a little nudge."

"Y-You wouldn't know that! You're lying!"

"I'd say it's a small price to pay for saving this island. Oh, but perhaps you don't mind sharing the basis of your allegations? If it's something that even our resident insider doesn't know, I'm certain everyone here would like to hear your findings."

"T-That's—"

Another officer spoke. "Regardless, he still compromised the island's security!" He pointed at Nerine, sitting behind the commander. "The fact that we have an abyssal ship in attendance right now is beyond ridiculous!"

Nerine crossed her leg. Her slightest movements caused the fleet girls around her to ready their weapons. "My my, do all of you really hate us that much?"

"You better shut your mouth!" a marine officer shouted. "Have you forgotten how you indiscriminately massacred my men earlier?!"

The cruiser rolled her eye. "You should blame my immature partner for that."

Minako looked up as they felt a short tremor. "I'll remove Marvie from the multifield generators myself if you're that adamant on expelling them. Just know that in exchange, your group will be responsible to any damages and casualties that may happen afterwards."

"To go this far just to defend them is just—"

"No." She smirked. "You're only deluding yourself with your ego and blind hate. It's not that hard to understand."

Another shouting match broke out. It seemed worse than what she had witnessed back at Auspice, and Inazuma hoped that Urakaze and Ryuujou wouldn't join them as well, seeing how frustrated they were. It took a few minutes for the tension to simmer down and get things back on track. Under the strict guidance of Admiral Asai, the assembly proceeded as scheduled but focusing more on rehabilitation efforts for affected villages. Thankfully, the rest of the discussions went well despite the lingering air of unrest in the hall.

After the meeting was dismissed, the commander immediately stood up and headed towards the exit. Nearby marines and fleet girls sprung into action as they blocked the entrance. The double doors opened and an officer cut through the line of fleet girls.

An inexplicable spell of fury seemed to have taken over the commander's mind as he suddenly launched himself to the new arrivals. His fist was aimed at the Navy officer, but a fleet girl, the battleship Mutsu, intercepted it with ease. The commander remained indignant despite the disparity in strength, but Mutsu simply released his hand and pushed him away.

Commodore Niro looked at him, grinning. "You just can't let it go, can you?"

Suddenly, Ryuujou moved in towards the commodore. Mutsu pushed Niro aside as she took the carrier's punch, which sent her skidding back to the hallway.

"I was tryin' my best back there while they threw insults at us like we're unwanted thrash 'ere." Everyone around the carrier flinched as her mag-ions exploded out of her frame, enveloping her in a purple hue. The lights in the hall began to flicker. "Tch, I'll grind y'all to dust if that's what you want!"

Urakaze brought out her weapons, prompting the others to aim their guns at them. "You two, stand down," Minako said as she approached the crowd. "Niro, if you're here just to cause ruckus, then I'll have to ask you to leave the hall."

Niro fixed his cap and continued walking. "You should learn how to put leashes on your dogs, Minako. It's getting out of hand."

Ryuujou was about to move again before Minako grabbed her arm. "Just ignore him." She turned to look at the commander. "Admiral Asai wants to have a word with you."

"What for?"

"You'll know later." She then looked at Inazuma. "You girls can go back to the office for now."

"Are you sure about that?" Nerine gestured at the fleet girls around them. "I might have to kill them if they made the first move on us."

"They're just doing their jobs. Don't take it personally."

The cruiser squinted. "I'll take that as a yes."

They were escorted by heavily-armed fleet girls back to Minako's office and waited there. Much of the tension passed as they stepped into the room and Inazuma was just glad they could rest easy for now. Kiso arrived moments later to fetch Urakaze, and the two of them immediately returned to the multifield structure. Apparently, the other girls wanted to see the commander, so they thought of taking turns to get into the compound with the cruiser's help.

Left with nothing to do, Inazuma spent her time chatting with her friends spending the night in the north. As she talked, she would steal glances from the others every now and then:

Maricelle savored her chocolates in the recliner while Nerine took an interest on the bookshelf's offerings. Ryuujou was sitting on the sofa, her hood covering half of her face as she slept. Shiranui was organizing some files at the long table as she watched the two abyssal ships doing their own thing.

Inazuma lost track of time and didn't realize that nearly an hour passed when the two officers finally returned. Minako headed to her desk and opened her laptop. "Yuu, I'm still waiting for an answer."

The commander just stood a few steps from the door. She looked straight into the Navy officer's eyes. "What is there to answer?"

"We won't be able to help you if you won't even speak up for yourself. The Council isn't a one-sided party—you know that."

The commander grimaced. "I'm tired." It wasn't a comeback of any sort. His voice was flat, devoid of emotions. "I just wanted to get this done quickly, Minako. I might not have much time left."

"Wh-What do you mean by that?" Inazuma asked. "Y-You can tell us what's bothering you, Commander."

"Stay out of this."

"I know I'm not one to talk," Minako said, "but you can only shoulder so much before those burdens you insist on carrying alone crush you completely. You don't live in a vacuum—don't disregard your allies like that."

"You don't have to remind me that."

"And yet, I have to hammer it down your head constantly." Minako removed her cap and untied her ponytail. "Be honest with me: are you afraid?"

"I've been through hell and back to get where I stand. What kind of question is that?"

"Then why are you still running away? I thought you're capable of facing the consequences of your actions in full."

He was taken aback, directing a pained gaze to the floor. "I…"

"Was that actually selective then? It would be very hypocritical of you if that were the case."

Maricelle stood up and began walking towards the commodore. "I dare you to talk to him like that again."

"Mari, it's fine." He shook his head. "I'll… take a walk for a bit."

"I'll go with you!" the abyssal destroyer said, facing him.

"No, stay here. Our presence in the assembly already caused so much trouble as it is. I won't take long anyway."

"I can't guarantee your safety if you leave me here."

"Place your concerns on them instead."

"W-Well, if you say so."

He turned around and promptly left the room. Minako signaled Shiranui to follow him. As the door closed, she sighed and rubbed her temples.

Inazuma had never seen the commander looked so conflicted before.

She knew that feeling so well. Trying to contain the swirling mass of emotions inside each passing day, threatening to engulf both mind and body—she hated it so much.

Heavy silence transpired as Minako directed her gaze at Inazuma. "I must confirm something though since it has been bothering me for quite some time now."

"E-Erm... sure. What is it?"

"Have you seen him taking some medicine every so often?"

She blinked. "Medicine?"

"He had a special prescription given to him—a part of his routine maintenance, so to speak."

Fusou's voice was heard through Inazuma's terminal. "A prescription?"

"I-Is the commander sick?" Fumizuki asked.

"H-Hey, shut it!" Maya said. "Why did you turn the transmitter on?"

Inazuma closed her eyes and shook her head. "I'm sorry. I don't think I have. As his secretary, we're always together around the clock, but..."

Minako furrowed her eyebrows. "I can only hope he didn't stop taking them."

She gulped and breathed out her anxiety. "U-Um... there's this other thing that I'm worried about too."

"And that is?"

"I saw him one time where he looked like he was in a lot of pain. A-And now that I think about it, there were also times where he would lock himself up inside the office for a couple of hours." She paused, grimacing. "It isn't a chronic disease, is it?"

"Those symptoms are showing up again, no doubt about it." Minako bit her lip. "What is he thinking?"

"S-Symptoms? So, you knew all along?"

Minako smiled. "Have you forgotten? We've been together before, so I should know that much."

"Akatsuki and I had happened to check his medical records when we were trying to find clues about him, but we didn't see anything on them that would warrant a prescription." Inazuma shook her head. "What is it for? Is it related to how his body can somehow assimilate mag-ions?"

"Then if you truly yearn for answers, why not ask him yourself? I'll need Shiranui back here soon."

Inazuma looked down. "B-But—"

"Just give it a shot. We're doing this for his sake, after all."

"C-Can I really do it?"

* * *

As soon as Kiso returned with Tanikaze, it was Inazuma's turn to be escorted to the western outskirts of the compound. There, they found an isolated structure within the trees. Inazuma learned that the place was a memorial for those who died in the line of duty. Well, to be more specific, a mausoleum.

Power in the sector had yet to be restored, but the fair share of destruction that the area received was just impossible to overlook. Further into the mausoleum's garden, she found a few fleet girls waiting by the entrance, including Shiranui herself. They seemed to have followed the commander all the way here as well.

Inazuma swallowed all her anxiety in one big gulp and took a step inside the building's lobby. She reached down her skirt pocket and brought out a card. A small searchlight appeared on her arm, illuminating the doorway to the main chamber.

Her eyes darted left and right as she scoped the place a bit. It was quite a surprise that the interior of the building was bigger than she had imagined.

As she moved into the main chamber, she saw a beam of light further in the hall. "C-Commander?" she called out as the beam disappeared. Her echoing voice made her uneasy as she walked through the center aisle. "Is that you?"

She breathed out a sigh of relief when he finally responded: "Why did you follow me?"

"I just want to talk! Please hear me out!"

There was a short pause before the light came back on, pointing at the ceiling. She followed it until she found him crouching on a pile of debris. She directed her light upwards and saw that a huge chunk of the wall next to the commander was gone. It probably collapsed during the raid earlier, along with a few trees near a shell's impact zone.

Inazuma turned her searchlight off as she walked to his side. She watched him light a small candle. "Do you know someone here?"

As if an answer to her question, his hand hovered in front of a compartment three rows from the bottom. He placed the candle inside a glass-like holder on the ledge. She took this chance to lean closer so that she could read the compartment's plaque. "Captain Hinami… Nagasaki."

"I never thought I would get to visit this place again."

"Why? Has it been that long since your last visit here?"

He stood up, not taking his eye off the candle's flickering flame. "I have to find her friends too before going back."

"Oh, then I'll help—"

A shadow stepped between them, striking the commander with a fist. He fell down on the rubble, but the taller man drove his foot on his chest. "I thought I wouldn't be able to get another chance after you left us like you've never been here. I guess you could call it fate, huh?"

"L-Lieutenant Ichiro?!"

Ichiro brandished a knife and brought a knee in the commander's stomach. "It's about time you get what's coming to you!"

"J-Just so you know," the commander said, "I don't have any intention of dying here tonight."

"You're so full of shit, huh? I'll do everyone a favor and kill you right now!"

He brought his knife down, but the commander caught his wrist. With just a single hand, the commander kept the blade just above his chest. "Tch, you must be delusional to think that I'm going to give up my life so easily."

Ichiro didn't let up, pushing down the blade using his free hand. The knife still didn't budge an inch. "Wh-What?"

"Just give it up, Ichiro. Stop wasting my time."

"Shut up!" A solid punch rammed the commander's face. Ichiro yanked his hand out and opted to use his fist with the knife still in his grasp. The commander didn't fight back this time as he took one blow after another. "Still think you're a bigshot, you cocky bastard?"

Inazuma gritted her teeth—she couldn't take it anymore. She tackled the marine lieutenant to the side, but he quickly recovered and readied his knife again. She hopped back to avoid a swipe, but he quickly followed through and slammed her into the rubble.

She tried to get back up but she found herself pinned on the mound of debris. She pushed herself up once more, but pain suddenly exploded throughout her midriff. She lifted her head, and it was only then she noticed a steel shaft sticking out of her waist. "Nrgh…! T-This is—"

"I-Inazuma?"

The commander was only looking straight at her, unaware of the man approaching his side. Even in partial darkness, she could make out the astonished look on his face. He received another punch and sent him sprawling to the floor. Ichiro inched closer with his knife at the ready, but the commander quickly turned around and shoved him away with a kick.

He swung his right fist at the still recovering Ichiro back to the floor. He pulled his arm from behind and lifted him to his knees. Then, he reached out to the knife using his foot and plunged the blade into the lieutenant's thigh.

As if it wasn't enough, he began yanking the knife out. Ichiro could barely contain his voice as his body squirmed in pain.

His eyes—she had seen those so many times before in combat. Her heart started to race. "C-Commander, stop it!"

Ichiro managed to let out a chuckle. "G-Go ahead. This… this is no different from what you did to my sister and the others, right?"

"P-Please! Commander, get a hold of yourself!"

"Do it! P-Prove to them that you're nothing more than a two-faced murde—"

_"No!"_

He smacked Ichiro across the face for the last time. The lieutenant's body went limp, collapsing with a thud. The commander shook his head. "H-Happy now?"

"W-Were you actually going to…"

His shoulders heaved up and down as he slowly stood up once more and tottered to her side. He inspected her injury with his flashlight. "H-How should we do this?"

Inazuma noticed up close that the cut on his forehead was bleeding profusely. "C-Commander, are you okay?"

"Just… a little woozy." He sighed deeply, wiping the blood off with his sleeve. "Bring out your crew for now."

She tried to block out the pain as she summoned half of her damage control personnel. The fairies examined her wound and discussed between themselves for a moment. Afterwards, one fairy walked towards the commander.

"Nah! She'll survive—she had it worse the other time anyway!"

He didn't look convinced, glancing at Inazuma. "I should really stop getting surprised at how indifferent these fairies can be."

"Hey, that's just how it is. And it's always half your fault she keeps getting busted like this, so better hold your tongue there, buddy."

"Are you picking a fight or what?"

"Do you want her to get fixed or what?"

"U-Um guys," Inazuma uttered, "just pull me out if you have to. My vision's… starting to dim…"

The commander didn't even need to call for help as the other fleet girls went to check on them, presumably after hearing the commotion from outside. Inazuma and the two officers were brought to the hospital for treatment, but she was transferred to an isolated room where she could rest until morning. She was relieved when the commander, all patched up, returned to her side not long afterwards. He waited as the fairy nurse proceeded with her checkup, but much of that time was spent in stifling silence.

When the fairy nurse finally left the room, Inazuma turned her head to look at him. "C-Commander, what was that about earlier? You knew each other, right?"

He cast a downward gaze, shifting in his seat. "Y-Yeah, we were members in a splinter group that Minako organized back then."

"Then why does he hate you?"

"I got his older sister killed in an operation three years ago." He paused. "No... not just her. Her whole squad was killed because of my selfishness."

"C-Could it be... _Chambered Liberty_?"

"So, Minako spilled the beans, huh? It'll make things easier on my part then."

"She didn't tell us everything about the operation. That's why... if possible... I want to hear the rest of the story from you."

His firm expression mellowed out, but Inazuma could see uncertainty and discomfort in his eyes.

"I requested to join that particular op for the purpose of obtaining firsthand information and evidences pertaining to the enemy base's operations. You already know me enough that I don't trust the Navy's accounts on very sensitive intels, so I had to do my own investigation. And for that matter, I was assigned to Hinami's squad.

"The op itself was successful, but all went wrong when I released the captured abyssal ships from their holdings. Among them were unstable Irregulars who went berserk and started attacking everything they laid their eyes on. I was considered a quasi VIP at the time, that's why Hinami and the rest made it a priority to keep me alive, whatever it takes.

"They bought me time to haul as much data as I can find in the facility. In the end, Hinami and I were the only ones who survived. Another assault squad suffered more casualties just to get us out of there."

"H-Huh? But Hinami—"

"Yes, she did make it, but the wound she received from an Irregular made it impossible for us to contain the infection. She died a few days later due to a virulent kind of mutation we had never seen before. It was her brother who had to put an end to her misery."

Inazuma frowned. "Is that why you always keep yourself at arm's length from everybody?"

His eyebrows crossed. "Quite a bold assumption you got there."

"A-Ah..." She shut her eyes, quietly chastising herself. "U-Um, I understand how he feels, but isn't it unfair that you get all the blame for it?"

"Hmph, that means you don't understand him at all. But I don't mind him keeping a grudge—he can hate me all he wants."

"And you're okay with that?"

"I don't plan on apologizing for it. It was my mistake and I'm going to own it up my way. At least, that's what I've been telling myself since that incident."

"I can't even imagine what I would do if I were in that kind of situation. A burden like that is too much for a single person to bear."

He forced a smile. "You worry too much. I'm doing just fi—"

"Stop lying." Inazuma balled her hands. "There's nothing wrong in admitting that you are struggling really hard right now. We can see that and we're always ready to hear you out, but why do you keep pushing us away?"

He put on a stern face. "My hands are already stained, Inazuma. I don't want you girls in the Peacekeepers to be associated with us."

"If it's about that operation, I—"

"Again, enough with your half-baked assumptions about me. I wasn't referring to that."

"No more excuses, Commander! Then what about Miss Ryuujou's group?!"

"They're the exception—the unwanted rejects." He shook his head. "You, Akatsuki, and the others... you don't have to get involved in our affairs. Don't throw your future away like that. At the very least, not for someone like me."

"I... I don't get it! H-How are they different from us?"

"You're already living a good life. I keep telling Minako to bring you back to Auspice, but you guys are just hardheaded to a fault. Why are you so hell-bent on helping me anyway?"

Inazuma sighed, organizing her thoughts. His stubbornness was getting the best of her, but she had to keep at it. "You know, when I was still going through my management course, I kept thinking of a worthwhile goal that would inspire me to work even harder."

He raised an eyebrow. "How's that related to what we're talking about now?"

"J-Just me hear me out, okay?" Inazuma took another deep breath. "I did my best to come up with something, but my head isn't exactly very cooperative with topics like that.

"The day before my certifications were released, a friend of mine asked me to come by her uncle's coffee shop. She was living in the city where I took my last few modules, so we had made it a habit to hang out together when we both have free time in between our studies. She was a lot like you, by the way—stubborn and can be harsh with her words at times."

"You're one to talk."

She averted her eyes from his disapproving stare. "A-Anyway, she told me that she had made up her mind about going to a culinary school after graduating from high school."

"So, she likes cooking?"

"Well, she did a lot of cooking when she was younger, but she lost interest along the way. It took her uncle years to renew her love for cooking and I think it payed off." She looked up to the ceiling. "When she said that even someone like her can make people smile, I was really inspired and—"

"You didn't make that story up, did you?"

"W-Why would I do that?" Inazuma started sniffling. "I'm trying to pour my heart out to you, and that's how you're going to respond?"

"M-My bad." He glanced away, rubbing the patch on his cheek. "You don't have to make that face—it's unfair."

"U-Um... about my goal..." She did a last second attempt to muster up all her remaining courage. "I want to become a secretary who can support her fleet in every aspect. Even now, I'm still figuring out how to do that, but I'm trying my hardest."

He began to chuckle. "That's very… Inazuma, I guess?"

She buried her flushed face in her hands. "W-What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't take the wrong idea—having a goal like that is a good thing." He didn't respond for a moment, sighing. "I'm aware that the answer's already right in front of me, but I keep assuring myself that there has to be another way out of this miserable hole I fell into."

Inazuma slowly turned her head towards him. "C-Commander?"

"I always think it's the easy way out at the expense of bringing more pain to the people around me." His expression soured. "Everything you heard from Minako was true. I'm just scared—scared of giving everyone around me a chance. Scared of the implications without putting in work."

"You have to believe in us too."

"Telling me that won't convince me." Inazuma's spirit began to waver as she made a dejected face, only to perk up as he spoke again. "But… I'll try. That's the least I can do for all the trouble I caused you guys."

"R-Really?"

"And I still have a promise to keep, remember?"

"Promise? What promise?" It was his turn to make a disappointed look, causing Inazuma to panic. "N-No, I mean, it's just that a lot of things happened recently, so… um…"

Eyes brimming with newfound purpose, he looked at her as a smile tugged his lips. "We'll save Akatsuki and the others. It's only a matter of time, so I can only ask you to wait a little longer."

"Of course! Please count on us as well!"


	9. Fluttering Ripples

**08—Fluttering Ripples**

* * *

Hours passed as she waited at the bridge.

She did what she could in scrounging up information about the ship, but she still found nothing.

She couldn't help but think that the ship was somehow alive and was hiding the things she needed most during her search.

Also, the sun had already risen up from the horizon, and she had yet to notice anything worthy of note outside. A strip of land, a ship, or even aircraft—nothing.

She didn't know how long she had been scoping the ocean around the fleet, but her mysterious companion seemed to have disappeared as well.

Fatigue caught up on her and she decided to rest at the nearest cabin available.

Perhaps she would wake up later with new developments at hand.

But her peaceful slumber was disrupted by a loud boom. She rushed back to the bridge and found that the fleet was under attack.

The destroyer she was on unleashed another thunderous broadside. Shells arced towards the flickering shadows below the horizon.

_Warships._

She shook her head and balled her hands.

She had to do something.

At that moment, a fervent impulse took over her body.

Free from reservations, she jumped off the ship and steeled herself for the landing.

But as she broke through the water's surface, she was also subjected to a rude awakening.

She couldn't summon her armaments.

She struggled just to stay afloat against the waves from the ship and geysers from the opposing fleet's shells.

As she happened to glance up, she saw the ghostly figure throwing a buoy near her.

Using all her strength, she swam towards the ring and latched her arms onto it.

She shut her eyes as the sounds of cannon fire filled her ears.

Her body was numb from the ocean's cold embrace. She felt that she could slip away at any moment.

In this world, she seemed to be no different from an ordinary human girl.

It didn't make sense, but there was nothing she could do about it either.

Her consciousness dimmed further. She could only muster a bitter smile.

_Pathetic._

She couldn't even save herself, and yet she was already yearning to help everybody else.

These unbearable feelings of guilt and helplessness…

She truly hated them.

* * *

Just before midnight, Urakaze and Kiso dropped by to check on them. They also told her that they would stay in the floor lobby, so she could easily call for them if she ever needed anything. Inazuma thought that they deserve to get some rest too, but they had to make do with the available options they have at the moment. As they left the room, Inazuma made sure to give them her heartfelt thank you for everything they've done so far.

As for the commander himself, he decided to stay with her and ended up sleeping with his head on the bedside. She wanted to get some sleep too, but she couldn't. She felt restless, drifting in and out of consciousness every now and then. She just couldn't shake off this slinking sensation in the back of her mind, constantly broadcasting its presence to get on her nerves.

She didn't want to concede just yet though.

She took a deep breath. She relaxed and closed her eyes.

She concentrated, containing her thoughts in a single box. Within this isolated space, she filled it with pleasant thoughts.

Wonderful memories.

Warm, happy experiences.

_"A-Akatsuki…"_

Then, everything was still.

The early hours of the morning went by peacefully, but she found herself wide awake just before daybreak. Whatever that was about, it successfully kicked her out her own dreamland again. She didn't feel like leaving the comforts of her bed just yet though, so she let her eyes wander around the room to pass time. Not more than a minute passed and she quickly got bored as the interior was rather bland and empty. In the end, her jaded gaze settled on the sleeping commander, observing his smallest movements.

At first glance, he seemed to be unperturbed and at peace as he slept, but the longer she stared at his face, there was something that didn't feel quite right. It was nagging her from the back of her mind and she couldn't guess what was causing such unease in the first place. Was she just imagining it? Regardless, she could only hope that she had helped in easing his worries earlier.

"T-That's right. I forgot to ask you about it. I know that I shouldn't be doing this, but…" She crawled next to him and reached out for his right hand. _U-Um, excuse me…_

Inazuma retracted her hand as the commander shifted a bit. Holding her breath, she pushed on and managed to get a hold of his sleeve. _O-Okay, just lift it up like this and…_

Her body froze the moment the door opened. She swallowed hard as she directed her gaze to the pair standing at the corridor. As the blonde fleet girl was about to speak, the smirking man held up his hand and made a quick salute.

"C-Commander Einrost, this isn't—!" The door quickly closed. "Hawawa!"

Before she could hop out of the bed, the door opened again. "Heh," the officer said. "Surprised, I bet?"

"E-Even Commander Einrost came all the way here?"

He nodded. "We're about to initiate the first phase of his master plan. Or are we already at the second part? Dunno much of it, really."

She glanced back at the commander. "Plan?"

"Wait, you don't know yet?"

Inazuma frowned. "Here he goes again."

"Don't sweat it. As far as I know, I'm the only person who was told about it. Well, and those factory fairies back in Auspice." Einrost shrugged. "He's surely an eccentric one when it comes to planning stuff."

"Can you tell me?"

"He'll disclose everything later. I'm sure he'll be able to explain it better too."

Arms crossed, the blonde fleet girl was staring at her all this time. "O-Oh, um, I'm sorry." Inazuma bowed down. "I didn't mean to ignore you."

She closed her eyes. "No, it's fine. I understand how crucial this moment is."

The destroyer sighed. "I-I'm relieved to hear that…"

"But allow me to introduce myself." With a fierce look on her face, the fleet girl saluted. "Aircraft Carrier Graf Zeppelin, reassigned to Section 12's Pathfinding Unit. It's a privilege to have this opportunity to work with you side by side, Miss Inazuma."

Panicking, she returned the gesture with a hasty salute. "U-Um… n-no, the pleasure's mine!" She shook her head. "Erm… you don't have to be so formal to a destroyer like me."

Cocking her head to the side, the aircraft carrier stared at Inazuma for a moment. "Hmm, it appears she is exactly what Murakumo told me about."

The secretary blinked. _Wh-What's that supposed to mean?_

Einrost approached the bedside, rubbing his chin as he stared at the commander. "Damn, he really sleeps like a log, huh?" He then turned his head to Inazuma. "What were you doing, by the way?"

She could feel her blood rushing to her cheeks. "A-Ah… I was just... um..."

As she failed to give him a convincing excuse, his lips formed a sly grin. "I never would've thought you're one of those types, you sneaky fox."

"Th-That's not true! I'm not doing anything bad!"

"And that's what all naughty girls say when caught red-handed." His hand hovered under his chin, rubbing it with his thumb. "Gee, I wonder what he would do when he finds out that his precious secretary is actually plotting naughty things to him in his sleep."

She grabbed his arm and began yanking it. All the heat that her body was generating felt like she just completely exhausted herself with Overdrive. "I-I-I'm not naughty! And please don't tell him!"

"Well, there's a chance that he might actually like that bad girl image, you know? Lots of guys are into that kind of shtick, me included."

"B-Bad girl image? I'm not like that at all!"

Graf Zeppelin wrapped her arm around Einrost's shoulder. "What are you do—" A fist rammed his waist. "Grk! W-Why did you hit me?!"

"I am merely abiding to your secretary's instructions."

"T-That's just harassment!"

"Could you please stop screwing around? The meeting will be starting soon." Kiso made her presence known as she entered the room. Behind her was another girl wearing a hoodie. "Hmph, you don't have to be so embarrassed around us."

"I… I know. This is just too sudden." Taking a deep breath, she took off her hood and bowed. "L-Light Aircraft Carrier, Zuihou. Um… thank you very much for saving me that last time."

"A-Ah!" Inazuma uttered, wiping the sweat off her forehead with her sleeve. "You've recovered!"

Einrost nodded. "We brought her along with us since she had been pestering me for days."

"I already caused everyone a lot of trouble," Zuihou said, "so I would really appreciate it if you would allow me to join your fleet."

"Well, what did I tell you?"

Inazuma found herself being pressed to the corner as everyone was now looking at her. "Um… I'm not really the right person to consult about this, but you should be aware that there are certain procedures that you have to undergo first. Then, there are qualifying tests to—"

The light carrier took her hands, clasping them together. "P-Please! I'll do all of that, but just this once, let me help you guys!"

She averted her eyes. Zuihou's stare was just too painful to look at. "E-Erm… it's not that I'm against it or anything, but—"

"T-That's more than enough to me! I… I won't disappoint everyone!"

"Good for you, little miss," Einrost said.

Zuihou turned to the officer and gave him an enthusiastic nod. Inazuma could only force out a smile. _Her face… it's not fair…_

"Now that's settled. How about you wake up your prince with a sweet morning ki—" Another jab from the blonde carrier made him reel towards the countertop. "S-Stop that!"

"Just wake him up, Inazuma," Kiso said, turning around. "We'll be waiting at the nurse's station."

As the cruiser left the room, Inazuma approached the commander and gently shook him by the shoulders. "Commander? It's morning," she said. "You told me to wake you up, remember?"

No response.

"He must have been very tired," Zuihou said.

"Oh, I know!" Inazuma shook and clenched her hands. "I always try to give Hatsuyuki a massage whenever she feels sluggish in the morning. Maybe it'll help!"

She couldn't do much as he was still wearing his coat on, but she had to try.

She stretched her arms forward and cupped her hands on his left shoulder and pressed both thumbs downwards repeatedly. As she was done making a mental map of the points she needed to work on, she spaced out her hands and started applying pressure using the tip of her fingers and the base of her palms, working her way down to the trapezius.

Feeling a stiff spot, she rubbed the area first with her thumbs before giving it a squeeze. However, she overestimated her strength and kneaded a tad deeper near his shoulder blade, producing a dull popping sound.

The commander suddenly shot up, slamming her to the bedside. He pulled her right hand to her back and pushed his weight onto her with his forearm. "That hurt like hell! What are you trying to do?!"

Inazuma forced out her mag-ions to reduce the strain in her arm. "I-I'm sorry! I was just trying to wake you up!"

"Do that again and I'll tear your arm off."

"Y-Yes! I won't do it again!"

He plopped down on his chair, rubbing his shoulder. "Tch, I think I'm gonna cry," he mumbled.

Inazuma felt bad seeing his miserable face. "N-Not you too!"

"What are you on ab—" He looked up and noticed the others watching them. "Oh, you're here."

"Hey, be honest with me," Einrost said, rubbing his waist. "What happened here last night and you already had her giving you… intimate massages in the morning?"

As if he didn't hear anything, he turned his attention to the ponytailed carrier. "Zuihou, right? I've been expecting you."

Einrost sighed. "Hey, I was the one who brought her here."

"Y-Yes." Zuihou saluted. "Admi—Commander Yuu, I've been waiting for this chance to express my gratitude for saving me from the Abyssals. U-Uh… that's why… um…"

The commander's eyes were focused at her face, causing the carrier to buckle and hide behind Einrost. He looked back to Inazuma. "You two aren't related, are you?"

Inazuma sighed as she squinted at him. "She's an aircraft carrier."

Einrost pulled Zuihou to the front. "U-Um," the carrier said, "I maybe small compared to the standard carriers, but I'll do what I can to help everyone with my planes."

He raised an eyebrow. "What? I don't recall taking you in."

Zuihou grimaced. "W-Well... that's..."

"Pardon my intrusion," Graf Zeppelin said, "but isn't it about time for Commander Yuu to prepare for an upcoming assembly?"

"Yeah, I know." He stood up and walked towards the bathroom. Then, they heard the faucet running. "Anything new on your end?"

"Nothing much," Einrost replied. "I just did what you told me. And there's you going around on several media outlets lately. What was that about?"

A brief pause. "All I know is that they're stretching my patience to its limits. I couldn't care less about it."

_I wonder about that..._ Inazuma eyed her jacket draped over a chair's backrest. "O-Oh, before I forget, sorry about the jacket."

He left the bathroom and picked up his terminal on the countertop. "Don't worry about it. You can fix it anyway, right?"

She took the jacket, putting it on. "Well… it might take a while for the fairies to reconstruct the damage."

"Alright, better get this done quick. I'll catch up to you guys later."

"Take care."

With a final tug on his coat, the commander finally exited the room. Inazuma turned to Einrost. "You're not going with them?"

"What do you mean? Certain business contracts aside, I'm not personally involved with the Navy." Einrost removed his coat and hung it on his shoulder. "How about we have some breakfast first? I'm starving."

* * *

They went to the ground floor and entered the hospital's canteen packed with people. As they lined up and ordered their meals from the counter, they learned that the compound's hospital was also available to the public at an event of an island-wide emergency or calamity. Considering the number of people they saw at the main lobby earlier, Inazuma could only imagine the destruction from yesterday's raid.

Avoiding the inquisitive stares of the other customers to Zuihou, they opted to eat at the dining space outside. The mag-ions leaking out of the carrier's body seemed to be making the other fleet girls uneasy, but there was nothing they could do about it for now.

Inazuma glanced at the vending machines. "Uh... I wanted to get something for Hatsuyuki and the others too, but I forgot the Navy had my account suspended."

"Those dickheads," Einrost said. "They haven't proven anything."

"Don't worry." Zuihou fished out a card from her hoodie's pocket. "We can use mine. Is that okay, Mister Einrost?"

"Oh, sure, you'll need a little cash to get you started anyway."

The two fleet girls stood up and stepped in front of the largest vending machine. "There's so many to choose from. Oh, they even have fruit rolls too!"

Inazuma tilted her head slightly. "Fruit rolls?"

"Yup, fruit chunks and lots of cream inside. You should try it."

Skimming at the selection, Inazuma suddenly gasped. "I was hoping that there's mango-flavored one!"

"Hmm… I think I'm in the mood for peach today!" Zuihou swiped the card on the panel. Her eyes widened as she looked at the screen. "T-This much?! I-I'm sorry... I can't take this much!"

"H-Huh? What's wrong, Zuihou?"

Einrost chuckled from his seat. "You're exaggerating."

Zuihou turned to the officer. "B-But I can't take _two hundred thou_—"

He waved his hand. "Nope. It's already on your account, so no backsies."

"T-Then I'll just transfer it back to your account!"

"Well, if you do that, I'll just send it back again with the amount doubled. You want that?"

Zuihou heaved a sigh. "T-Thank you." She faced the vending machine again and glanced at Inazuma. "U-Um, I'll leave it up to you on what snacks you wanna get."

"Really? Thank you very much!"

"I think I saw some baked goodies beside the canteen's counter earlier, so maybe we should get a few of those too?"

"Okay, leave it to me!"

Inazuma went back to the canteen first and bought some fresh cookies and pastries. Afterwards, they spent the next few minutes getting pretty much everything available in the machine. They also divided the treats into three plastic bags, making sure each bag gets every snack.

Just before they could return to their table, Commander Yurie and the others arrived. "Yo!" Maya said, glancing at their empty dishes. "Finished breakfast, huh?"

"Ah, Miss Maya," Inazuma replied. "How about you guys?"

"We had ours, but the food here seems better I bet."

Smirking, Yurie approached the coffee vending machine. "I think you've been spoiled too much."

Fumizuki ran towards her and grabbed her hands. "Inazuma! It feels like we haven't seen each other since forever!"

Inazuma giggled. "It's only been a day, silly!"

"Where's the commander?" Hatsuyuki asked.

"Ah… he attended a meeting. He should be back soon." She held out one plastic bag. "We bought snacks!"

Fumizuki quickly took the bag and shoved her hand inside. "Thankies! Catch and—" She brought her hand up in the air. "Pull! Oh, what did I get?"

"Can I have some too?" Fusou asked, peeking inside the bag.

Inazuma nodded. "There's enough for everyone. Zuihou bought them for us."

"Wow," Prinz Eugen said. "Looks like we have a high roller among us now."

"N-No," Zuihou said. "It's Mister Einrost's money, so you should thank—"

Everyone sent their thanks to Zuihou regardless. Taken aback, the carrier pulled her hood over her face and latched on Inazuma from behind. She got even more embarrassed when Maya and the others finally recognized her.

"Oh, we should save some for Sendai and Jintsuu too," Fumizuki said.

"I'm worried about them," Fusou said. "I wonder if we can at least visit Jintsuu now."

"They haven't released her yet?" Yurie said, sitting beside Graf Zeppelin.

"Miss Minako told me she will be dismissed this afternoon," Inazuma replied. "I'm not sure how soon though."

"We have our own problems to deal with. The timing of these events is just too convenient."

"Nope," Einrost replied. "Nothing's too convenient if you're following Yuu around."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Inazuma heard a soft vibration from her terminal. "Oh, a transmission from Miss Minako." She pressed the screen to pick up the call. "Um, hello?"

_"Can you proceed to the central building right now? We have plenty of work to do."_

"Understood. I'll be right there." She turned to the others. "Sorry, I have to go."

"Aww, already?" Fumizuki said as she fished out a couple of snacks from the bag. "Take these."

"T-Thanks, but I don't need that many." She happened to look at Hatsuyuki, who seemed like she has something in her mind. "What's wrong, Hatsuyuki?"

Hatsuyuki hesitated, but eventually spoke. "I… was just wondering when I'll be able to get the chance to talk to him. He's very busy, so…"

"Then let's go together."

"I don't wanna get in his way."

"I'm sure it'll be okay!" Inazuma grabbed her hand and started walking. "Come on!"

Upon reaching the building, Minako and the others were waiting for them in the parking lot. "You're late," Maricelle said. "Are those legs just for show or what?"

"U-Um, sorry." She turned to Minako. "Do you need me for something, Commodore Minako?"

The Navy officer gestured at the commander. "No particular reason. He just wanted you to tag along."

She directed her gaze to him. "Why?"

"You don't want to?" he asked.

"N-No! It's just that … it's not like you to call for me when you usually do your own thing."

"I thought you want the both of us to be on the same page."

Inazuma averted her eyes, looking at the ground. "A-Ah…"

Maricelle groaned. "Seriously, enough chitchat! I didn't agree to escort you guys just for that."

She slowly handed out her plastic bag. "U-Um, snacks…"

"Hmph, I'll take that."

Minako had an amused face as she signalled Shiranui. "Are we all set then?"

They boarded an armored jeep and made their way to the harbor in the south. From the brief exchanges of the two officers, Inazuma learned that there were still several abyssal movements within the island's waters. Fortunately for them, these units weren't organized, merely taking advantage of the fallout from the previous raid.

The Navy's primary concern at the moment was re-establishing Orion's defensive perimeter, including power and network restoration to every affected outpost on and around the island. After all, rehabilitation efforts would be all for naught if the island was subjected to another abyssal offensive, and who knows if they would be able to hold the line for the second time.

The Council had estimated that it would take at least two weeks to restore everything in working condition. It seemed too generous of a timeframe at first, considering that Port Orion was one of the more advance naval bases in Caffelatte, but Inazuma also knew that the documented reports only reveal a fraction of the unforgiving reality they had to address:

Seeing the destruction around them in broad daylight was just heartrending. Civilians were milling about the ruins of their former homes, salvaging what they can within the smoky rubble. Business establishments and marketplaces were razed to the ground. Even the fields for crops and fruit-bearing trees were reduced to cinders.

While the minimal casualties were considered a success on the Navy's part, the real challenge had only just begun.

As they reached the battered harbor, the vehicle turned left and headed straight to the depot. Everyone in the area was wearing either hazard suits or gas masks, and Inazuma just assumed that the raid had caused some kind of contamination in the area. The jeep stopped at the farthest warehouse and time seemed to stop as soon as they stepped out of the vehicle. Armed marines took their positions, disengaging the safety mechanisms of their guns.

"Are they itching for a fight?" Maricelle pointed at a half-eaten chocolate roll to the marines. "I'm not in the mood right now, but I'll end these idiots quick if that's what they want."

Minako sighed. "We've talked about this."

She walked up to the Navy officer. "Don't tell me what to do, or what's right and wrong. Don't stretch your chances, stuck-up bitch."

"Too noisy," Hatsuyuki mumbled.

Ignoring the abyssal destroyer, Minako turned to a truck filled with computers and other expensive-looking equipment. "Mica, are you there?" she called out.

One of the four individuals suddenly stood up from the station and looked in their direction. The person wearing a close-fitting body suit hopped off the truck and ran towards them. "S-Sorry!" she said. "I got caught up in there with all the data they've been sending our way!"

"You don't have to get so worked up," the commander replied. "We just got here."

"Oh, um, long time no see!" She leaned towards Maricelle. "And wow, you actually brought an Abyssal with you this time? Can I—"

"No, she'll kill you."

"Aww… worth the shot at least."

The abyssal destroyer walked up to the girl and poked her tinted visor. "Who's this maggot?"

"A mag-ion specialist in one of our research teams," Minako replied. "She's currently commissioned as an MAU technician for the marines' R&amp;D section."

Mica let out a nervous laugh. "W-Well, I'm not as good as Kyrie though!"

"Do you have any new findings from the investigation team?"

"You won't believe it—the holding bay was converted into some kind of research facility!" She placed a hand on the side of her helmet, tapping it with her forefinger. "We tried to open up the place, but no dice. All but one cargo lifts are sealed off, and even if we cleared out all the debris, the control panel for that remaining lift went kaput in a power surge—probably from yesterday's attacks."

"A power surge, you say? I don't think that's enough to take down the whole system, especially for an unconventional facility like this one."

"Yeah, a single outcome can have multiple causes. The guys told me that most of the electronics they found were fried, like someone set off a localized EMP inside. I wanna tag along with you so I can see everything myself."

"I see," Minako said, looking at the commander. "You were right with your hunches all along."

"What is it?" he asked.

"This sector was temporarily closed due to an ongoing reconstruction of the buildings here." She turned her head to the remains of the warehouse. "The cargo we're looking for must have been taken in this particular holding bay."

"A… secret hideout?" Hatsuyuki said.

"I haven't gone inside," Mica said, "but the concentration of volatile mag-ions within the bay is quite high as well. Ringing any bells, Yuu?"

He nodded. "We'll find out when we see the place ourselves."

Mica ran to the side of the truck and removed the lid of a crate. She brought out two containers and set them on the ground. "Please suit up, you two."

"Is that really necessary?"

"What? It's not that hard to put on." She crossed her arms as she looked at Inazuma next. "They have yet to extract the fumes in certain sections of the holding bay, so the rest of you might want to wear gas masks just in case."

* * *

As their preparations were done, they moved through the wreckage to get to the inner parts of the warehouse. The stairwell at the back was free from rubble, presumably by the fleet girls and marines guarding it. Inazuma expected some kind of confrontation as Minako approached one marine officer, but it was clear that she was merely overthinking things as the two officers exchanged friendly greetings before discussing the situation in the depot with the other marines.

Two fleet girls emerged from the stairwell, carrying a body bag using a stretcher. "S-So, um, there are other people ahead of us here?" Inazuma asked.

"Admiral Asai's investigation team," the commander replied. "To be honest, I'm glad he quickly secured the place or it'll be a pain in the ass just for us to get into this depot."

"That's why I'm here, right?" Maricelle said. "They can't whine about it if they're de—"

Hearing a loud shutter sound, Inazuma quickly turned to its source. Mica stepped back as she shoved her phone's screen against her visor. "Maybe I should send a copy to my workplace and my net drive."

The abyssal destroyer snatched the device and crushed it under her foot. Mica collapsed to her knees and collected the remains of her phone. "U-Ugh, why did you have to do that?" she said, sobbing. "It's just a picture!"

Maricelle sneered. "Next time you'll think twice when pointing that junk at someone."

"I-I'm sorry, Yuu!" She sniffled. "I'm sorry!"

"Psh, what a crybaby. I wish I could see your face right now."

The commander crouched in front of her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, just get another one." He took her hands and examined the phone. "The important cards are intact at least."

"B-But this one's special since you helped me get this when I was short on cash."

"Like I said, it's fine."

"Y-You look angry though," Inazuma said.

Maricelle's face softened as she turned around and walked towards the stairs. "Whatever, I'll be going on ahead."

"Jerk," Hatsuyuki said. "Why is she friends with the commander?"

As the abyssal girl disappeared into the darkness, Minako turned and waved at them. "Looks like someone's excited. Let's go."

Armed with their flashlights, they caught up with Maricelle and continued their descent in the holding bay. The first and second levels were mostly wide open spaces for vehicles. These two levels were connected by a ramp, but there were also hydraulic lifts that could be used for hassle-free movement between floors. They also found the control center on the second floor, but just like Mica had told them, not a single lever or button worked.

Left with little to inspect, they proceeded to the third level where offices and other amenities were located. Unlike the upper levels, the encompassing haze was more apparent as they walked through the damaged, blood-soaked hallways. Coupled with the significant increase in mag-ion density, the place had become more oppressive. As if seeking for solace, Hatsuyuki pinched Inazuma's sleeve.

"I have to give whoever's behind this some credit," Minako said. "To think that they have been hiding all of these here is quite impressive."

"You don't sound like it though," Mica replied. "You've already seen this from miles away, I'm sure."

"I had my suspicions, but my foothold at the time was shaky and insubstantial. When I learned that Yuu took up an escort operation to Orion one day, I was immediately intrigued. I kept a close eye on him, hoping that I'll be able to obtain new information to further my investigations.

"And to the surprise of no one, I was right on the money once again." She glanced at the commander. "You truly never disappoint in that regard."

"And that's why you sent Yurie with me," he said. "Typical."

Minako smirked. "Hmhm, I can't wait to hear all of your findings later."

"U-Uh," Mica said, "you guys are working on the same goal, but do you really have to skirt around each other like that. It's scary."

The commander suddenly stopped, leaning against the wall. "Kgh—!"

Inazuma began to panic. "W-What's wrong?"

"How are you feeling?" Minako asked.

"M-My chest feels…. tight." He took a deep breath. "Just give me a minute or two."

"H-Huh?" Mica stepped in front of him. "D-Don't you have those pick-me-ups that you usually carry around?"

The commodore sighed. "That's the problem."

"W-Why? Please don't tell me that the two of you got into a fight again."

He bit his lip, clutching his right arm. "I'll be more than glad to shove those miracle formulas of hers down her throat and see if she likes it."

"T-That's not something you would say to the only person who can formulate those drugs!" Mica gasped. "Wait, you're self-medicating, aren't you?"

"Y-Yeah."

"I guess some things just never change, huh? Maybe we should take you ba—"

"No, I'll bear with it."

Mica shook her head. "Just don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

"But how about you, Mica? How are you feeling?"

"Other than this annoying buzzing in my head, I'm okay." She looked down, tapping her body with her palms. "Maybe it's because I'm wearing my 'ol reliable suit?"

Inazuma looked at Mica. _She's the same as the commander?_

"We should hurry." All of them turned to Maricelle. "The mag-ions around him are resonating with his body, causing unnecessary strain to his system."

"But… he's not like us," Hatsuyuki said. "He shouldn't be affected in the first place."

A bout of silence passed as Minako and Mica exchanged looks. The commander himself broke the standstill:

"The sooner we finish, the better. Let's continue."

Without another word, they resumed their exploration, making sure to check every room before moving on to the lower levels of the bay. Since the investigation unit had taken down the doors of previously inaccessible rooms, the search went smoothly for them.

While they didn't find anything noteworthy in these rooms, it did give them a rough estimate on the number of staff who worked there. Not more than half of the rooms were occupied with basic furniture or fancy-looking machinery, so it could mean that the research center wasn't operating at its fullest. Or perhaps a skeleton crew was all that was needed in keeping things in order there? The number of fatalities seemed to favor the latter though.

Their footsteps echoed as they moved down a wide set of stairs, leading them to the central laboratory facility. Inazuma peered down from the gallery and noticed another group on the eastern side of the lowest level. All of them looked up and saluted.

"Captain Lynn's team is about to wrap things up on their end." Minako glanced at the commander. "Of course, they may have overlooked something vital that we need to examine ourselves."

They used the stairs on the leftmost side of the hall to get to the bottom floor, which was flooded up to their ankles. They spread out a little bit to cover more ground and Inazuma took notice of the bloodstains across the wall. Curious, she followed the splatters of red behind an enclosure until she reached an empty corner of the hall. Letting out a sigh of relief, she decided to get back to the others, but she nearly stumbled as she went around the wide post.

She gagged the second she pointed her flashlight downwards. Hatsuyuki followed and began to retch as well.

A human corpse. Or at least, it was what it looked like to her.

The body was mutilated beyond recognition. The meat from the stomach down to the thighs had turned into an inexplicable mush and goo on the floor. Everything above the torso was completely singed. Inazuma closed her eyes for a moment, clearing her thoughts out. She heard the others rushing towards them. "Inazuma, what happened?" the commander asked.

Hatsuyuki, without looking, indicated the body with her flashlight. "Disgusting," Maricelle said. "I might have to hold on the last few bars for later."

Mica crouched down next to the corpse, examining the charred remains closely. "Now I know why they want to secure the bodies as quickly as possible."

"Let me notify—" Minako checked her forearm terminal. "Oh, excuse me. I have to take this call first."

She stepped away from the group, walking to the central area of the hall. Shiranui accompanied her, but the destroyer turned her attention to a row of cylindrical glass tanks.

The commander stared down at the pile of flesh. "Did they actually find this place?" He shook his head. "I'll have to contact Serra later."

Maricelle chuckled. "Well, these humans got what they deserved," she said. "Not that I care about what really happened here."

Inazuma frowned. "Killing is one thing, but this is just too much. Enemy or not, no one should experience this kind of—"

"And look, an ignorant whelp who thinks being goody-goody will magically make everyone best buddies or something. Don't play dumb—it's obvious that they were bringing abyssal ships here to experiment on."

"B-But this senseless slaughter is just horrible and unnecessary!"

"Assuming things again, aren't we? Have you actually experienced being stuffed inside one of those pods and kept you heavily sedated for many months without any hope of escape? And if you somehow survived the initial tests administered by those bastards, the pain and torture you had to go through will break you apart. Well, I wouldn't expect someone like you to know."

"N-No… I didn't mean…"

Maricelle pulled down her mask and pulled out a chocolate bar from her plastic bag. "But oh, it's okay when it comes to us Abyssals since we're the bad guys, right? What a bunch of bull."

Inazuma shook her head. "I-I'm sure there has to be another way! Violence is just a convenient excuse for not trying!"

The abyssal destroyer began to laugh. "What a hypocrite. Can you tell me how many of us have you maimed and sunk so far?" Inazuma's eyes widened, dumbfounded. The abyssal princess leaned closer, tapping her cheek with the snack bar. "I'll make this simple for you since you always have a hard time understanding the most basic of things: you play your part, and I'll play mine."

"P-Part? What are you—"

"You're expected to defend your human masters from us, the detestable foil to the childish fantasy that you call peace." She peeled off the snack bar's topside with her teeth. "You always like to preach on and on about it, right? But in your case, you're already going around like some kind of big shot and yet you can't even save yourself."

"If we can settle our differences and understand each other, then there's need for us to fight in the first place!" Maricelle grabbed Inazuma by the neck, slamming her to the wall with her free hand. "I... I never wanted any of this!"

"Pretty pathetic thing to say as a warship. Maybe I'll do you a favor and knock some sense into that brain of yours."

"That's enough." The commander's firm voice made the two of them snap to attention. "Mari, let her go."

"Don't tell me you're siding with her."

"You've already made your point."

Maricelle retracted her hand and took a bite of the chocolate bar. "Tch, you've gone soft."

As if on cue, Minako returned to the group. "Jintsuu was finally discharged," she said. "I had Yurie and Haruna pick her up."

"Th-That's a relief," Inazuma said, rubbing her neck.

Minako paused as she eyed the destroyers. "Shall we continue?"

Mica stood up and stretched her arms. "I'm done here, so let's get cracking!"

They split out once more, wading through each section of the spacious hall. Inazuma felt like they were seeing an exhibit of sorts with all the devices and other contraptions scattered around them. She had seen some of these before and she couldn't help but feel more anxious. "W-What were they trying to accomplish here?"

Mica, who was picking up a water sample from a wide rectangular tank, turned her head slightly. "There has to be a specific reason, but curiosity alone warrants the need to know them better, don't you think? They just showed up out of nowhere two decades ago and made the world's oceans their home."

"You mean... the Abyssals?"

The technician nodded. "There are still plenty of questions that we're struggling to shed some light on." She suddenly turned around and pointed at Inazuma. "Our progress with you girls isn't that far from them too."

"B-But we have to draw a line somewhere, right?"

"Yeah, you made me think about it earlier." Mica brought the test tube to her face and shook its contents. "We're doing our own experiments back at our lab too, but we're content on studying carcasses. A live specimen would be ideal, but the risks aren't just worth the trouble."

"That's… just asking for a disaster to come," Hatsuyuki said. "Aren't you scared?"

Mica laughed, securing the tube on a container stuffed in her waist bag. "We gotta do our share and help you guys somehow. Besides, we probably wouldn't reach this far if it weren't for the countless sacrifices made in the past."

Inazuma sighed. "T-That's true."

"So, in a way, Mari was right about playing our roles to give each other a helping hand."

"I don't think she meant it that way," she mumbled.

As they got to the center of the hall, Minako called them over to a nearby room. Inside, bits of flesh and entrails were floating in the water. The left side of the wall was blackened as well.

"What do you think happened here?" Mica asked, picking up a few glass-like shards in the water.

Using his flashlight, the commander indicated the remains of a vertical tank at the back of the room. "The culprit's no mystery at least."

Minako approached the console. "A princess? Interesting."

"T-That's impossible!" Maricelle ran towards the tank. "T-They were keeping a princess-class ship here too?"

"The pods we have seen so far only housed familiars, carrier planes, and other smaller abyssal life forms." The commodore knocked on the tank with the back of her fist. "This particular type of observation tank was designed to accommodate abyssal ships in the uppermost hierarchy."

The commander turned around, pointing at the heavy-duty compartment on the main hall. "That chamber over there is used to extract large amounts of mag-ions from the abyssal ships."

"An MCD?" Inazuma gasped. "S-She was deprived of mag-ions so that she wouldn't be able to escape?"

"More or less." He paused for a moment as he stared at the secretary's face. "I'm quite surprised that you knew what an MCD is."

Her eyes widened, hesitating. "W-Well, I've read about it once..."

"Wow, I didn't know you're a techie, Inazuma!" Mica said.

Maricelle let out a low grumble. "This doesn't make any sense. How did they even capture her to begin with?" she asked.

"I was looking into that," Minako replied. "The cargo seemed to have originated from a naval base in Serenoir, but I'll inform everyone our findings as soon as we verified the remaining shipping records I have requested from third-party trackers. I'm afraid we can no longer trust our own channels for this case."

"What a bunch of incompetent fools." The abyssal destroyer smirked. "How does it feel to be betrayed by your comrades, haughty bitch?"

"I have no excuses for it. Ever since the death of Admiral Minamoto, the internal scuffles in our ranks have worsened over the years. Many tried to follow his footsteps, but most of them are misguided or far-reaching."

"Her father was a great man," Mica said, climbing up to the tank's platform. "He basically reformed the Naval Domain from the slumps! Despite all the controversies and screwups that we have had in the past, he always kept his head high and did the right thing without compromising anyone!"

Minako took a few steps forward, turning towards the commander. "If I were half as competent as he was, you probably wouldn't have to suffer as much as you did back then."

"We both lived through it anyway," he replied. "Now is what matters most."

As Mica was done acquiring various samples in the room, they decided to return to the main hall. But before they could leave the room, Shiranui called out to them from the other side. "W-Wait, not another step."

"It's not like you to get so flustered all of a sudden," Minako said.

"Is this your idea of a joke?" Maricelle said.

"Do you want them to die?" Shiranui pointed at the doorframe's topside. "That's a sensor-triggered anti-personnel mine."

"Easy." Maricelle put a hand on the side of the metal frame. A second afterwards, they heard a crackling sound from the mine. "Do they ever learn?"

"Shh," Mica said in a low voice. "W-We're being watched."

"Where?" the commander asked.

"Third level, near the entrance to this hall," she replied. "It was probably the person who put that mine—"

Maricelle summoned her arm cannon. "You backstabbing coward!"

A huge blast consumed the upper galleries, sending chunks of metal all over the place. Multiple explosions around the hall followed, engulfing the area with tall flames.

"W-What's going on?!" Mica shouted. "Hey, stop that!"

"Are you blind? I only shot once!" the abyssal ship replied as her silhouette was consumed in the flames. "A-Argh, my hair! I'm so going to kill those bastards later!"

"This is getting old real fast," the commander said, activating his suit's air reserve.

Inazuma's heart raced as the fire crawled towards them. "W-Why are you so calm at a time like this?!"

He paused for a bit. "We're wearing hazard suits. We should be fine."

"U-Uh, about that," Mica said. "I gave you _Type-Cs_. That mag-ion enhanced napalm fire will roast you like festival turkey." She suddenly held her hands up as he stared at her with his arms crossed. "I didn't take into account that someone wanted to set us on fire, okay?"

"Hm, so they even deployed a jammer," Minako said. "How convenient."

The fire pushed them all the way to the back of the room, inching closer and closer. "W-W-What should we do?" Inazuma cried.

Maricelle rushed through the wall of fire, coughing. "W-Why are you just standing there?!"

"Us squishy humans won't survive this inferno," Mica said.

"Then what's the point of those suits?!"

"O-On second thought, I could probably withstand the heat if I have the time to—"

"Nobody cares about you!" The abyssal destroyer growled as she snatched Inazuma's arm. "And you, bring out your shield!"

Panicking, Inazuma sent out her shield unit. "A-Ah, my shield's field projector has limited reach. I can't completely cover everyone with—"

"Shut up!" Maricelle grabbed her hand. "Everyone, huddle up around her!"

"W-Well," Minako said, "I appreciate that you're concerned about us, but we're not quite following what you're trying to do here."

"W-We're not gonna die… right?" Hatsuyuki asked.

Maricelle stared at Inazuma, her eyes flickered a bright purple. "Prove that you're not as worthless as you look right now."

Inazuma nodded and closed her eyes, focusing all her thoughts to her system. Moments later, she felt Maricelle's mag-ions surging into her body. She linked this energy along with her own and directed the flow into the shield's field projector.

"Not bad."

She opened her eyes again. Her field seemed to be repelling the scorching flames around them. When Maricelle waded forward, the flames withered and eventually disappeared. It seemed like they would be able to cut a path through the fire as long as she kept the field up.

"W-We can actually do this!" Mica said, hugging her. "You're awesome, Inazuma!"

"We can't keep this up for too long," Maricelle said. "Hurry!"

They dashed into the fire and towards the stairs on the left side of the hall, only to find themselves cornered again. With the stairs destroyed from the previous explosions, they backtracked to the elevators and climbed up the hatch using the emergency ladder.

Most of the tension passed as they managed to return to the third level without any accidents. "W-Where's Shiranui?" Inazuma asked.

Maricelle coughed as she propped herself up against the wall. "S-She got a lead on me and chased after the ballsy bastard."

"She's really on her game as always, huh?" Mica checked the contents of her waist bag. "Too bad for them, we all got what we needed anyway. Let's go back so that we can process and analyze these pronto."

"But why are they doing this?" Hatsuyuki asked.

"Motives aside, they sure are getting bolder recently," Minako said. "They must know that I'm here as well."

"W-Why are you praising them?" Inazuma blurted out.

"Well, I won't be surprised if they wanted you out of the picture too," Maricelle replied.

"No matter," the commodore said. "We will have our answers in due time."

* * *

After the incident in the holding bay, Inazuma and the others went back to the compound and spent the whole afternoon back in Minako's office. Naturally, they felt so restless now that they couldn't do anything but wait for new developments to show up, including the whereabouts of the culprit who tried to sabotage their investigation.

Unpleasant thoughts ran wild in Inazuma's head. The fact that there were certain individuals who would go in great lengths just to get rid of the commander made her even more fidgety. His seemingly composed and casual response about these threats didn't help her case in the slightest.

On top of it all, she had to juggle her growing anxiety with Hatsuyuki's dilemma. Even though they had their chances throughout the day, the black-haired destroyer couldn't croak a word out whenever the commander was around.

She couldn't blame her really. It took her many days of preparations to gather up the courage to speak to him, and even that one opportunity was a godsend for her.

Night finally came and they got together in the compound's eatery. Surprisingly, the staff had reserved an area for them, which covered half of the floor space. The other customers, navy officers and personnel included, made disgusted faces upon seeing the new arrivals. Some of them even left their meals without finishing them. But before they could leave the establishment, the manager called them out. "These dishes won't clean themselves up!"

One of them scoffed. "I already paid mine, you old dirtbag."

"Hey," Yurie said, "where are your manners? Too much of a tall order for you, huh?"

"Better mind your own business. I'd rather go back to your kindergarten peacekeeping society if I were you."

"I wish we could, but you guys can be so incompetent at times that we just don't have any other choice but to pick up your slack."

"You sure can spew out shit for a—"

The light cruiser Tatsuta stepped forward and brandished her polearm. "My, you seem to be a tough guy for a warrant officer, but I've never even heard of you before." She pressed the blunt side of her blade on his cheek, turning his head towards her. "Perhaps do you want to try your luck against me?"

"Y-You… you're one of her—"

Tatsuta tugged her weapon, making a shallow cut in his cheek. "Ah, ah! Did I order you to backtalk?" She pressed her body onto his, pushing him back to the counter. "All of you men act so proud and haughty, but it's only a cheap show to cover up your fragile, susceptible egos. Afraid to be looked down upon by everybody, fruitlessly scrambling for power to reassert your standing along with your peers—I find it very… pitiful."

"G-Get off me!"

"Quite in a bad mood, I see." Tatsuta procured an adhesive bandage and applied it over the cut. Smiling, she wiped the excess blood on his cheek. "Now the boo-boo's gone thanks to Big Sis Tatsuta. Aren't you glad?"

Her cooing voice made Inazuma shiver. It seemed to have to have a similar effect to everybody else. The helpless Navy officer was petrified, unable to utter another word.

"Well now." Tatsuta turned around, slamming the pole end of her weapon. "House rules for you adorable maggots are to be respected or I'll have each and every one of you gobble the leftovers in the mess hall for a week."

One of the cruiser's companions, the destroyer Kazagumo, grabbed her arm. "You're going overboard again!" She turned her head towards a blue-haired fleet girl. "H-Help me out here!"

The aircraft carrier Souryuu returned a smile. "I don't know. I like where this is going."

Her pitiful gaze turned to Inazuma and the others. She made small gestures with her other hand, and Inazuma slowly shook her head. The tension was thick as the standstill went on, but a loud growling sound suddenly erupted.

"O-Oh my." The cruiser's face turned red, placing her free hand on her cheek. "I got so caught up that I already forgot what I was going to order."

Kazagumo rolled her eyes. "Clam chowder. Verdant lasagna."

"And for dessert?"

"Chiffon cake."

"No, no!" Souryuu said. "I thought we're going to order the triple chocolate mousse again!"

"We'll settle that later." Tatsuta looked at the Navy men once more and gestured towards the doorway. "As for the rest of you, get out of my sight."

They scampered out of the eatery, cutting through Inazuma's group. Tatsuta shrugged as she recalled her polearm, smiling at the warrant officer. "Oh, what's wrong? If you want to dine with us, then—"

"C-Crazy bitch!"

He went off as well, never looking back. "What a lively place," Einrost said, laughing.

It was Yurie's turn to roll her eyes. "I'd rather eat in the woods if this was the norm here."

"What are those house rules?" Prinz Eugen asked. "I don't recall anything like that last time."

Souryuu held up a finger. "Those only apply to us. Nothing strict or crazy though."

"This place shouldn't be inside the compound in the first place," Kazagumo said, "but it got so popular that certain bigwigs decided to give them a special permit to operate here."

"Y-Yeah, they keep complaining that the grub in the mess isn't as good as the menu here, but they're looking for ways to get everything revoked."

The destroyer rubbed the back of her head. "This sort of thing happens once in a while, but I hope you guys don't think any less of us in the Navy."

"I understand," Yurie replied. "Some people can't just be bothered to follow even the simplest rules."

"Good thing that the folks here aren't picky with their customers," Einrost said. "Really appreciate that, Pops."

The manager waved a hand as he walked back to the kitchen. "Take your time, alright?"

And they sure did. Half an hour was spent bickering on which food they had to try out. Then they had to wait twice as long for the staff to get their orders out of the kitchen.

As the servers brought the appetizing dishes on their tables, Fumizuki suddenly stood up and waved at the doorway. "Commander, over here!"

All eyes went to the newcomers.

"So this is what they call a restaurant," Nerine said. "It's far from what I was expecting though."

"Don't really care," Maricelle said. "As long as the food's passable, I wo—Marvie, don't touch that!"

The abyssal demon released the crayfish in her hand, dropping it back to its fish tank. "She sure is a curious gal," Ryuujou said. "She's kinda like you, Tanikaze. Well, 'cept she has her breaks on where it matters."

"Urk, that's mean!" the destroyer replied.

The manager approached the group. "Hard to believe I lived this long to serve up some of my food for these girls. And here I thought I've seen it all…"

Minako smirked. "Well, the ocean _is_ vast for a reason."

He glanced back at the remaining customers. "Hmph, can't complain since you're paying me, but make sure they don't break anything while you're here."

The commander sat at a table with the three abyssal ships. "Jintsuu, how are you holding up?" he asked.

The cruiser's eyes widened. "I… I'm fine now, thanks to everyone's support."

He kept a steady gaze on her for a moment. "I see."

"A-Ah, is there something wrong?"

"No, I was just worried. Glad to see you're doing well."

Jintsuu put a hand on her cheek. "I-Is that so? I'm glad to hear that."

Their dinner was rowdy as usual, but Inazuma was biding her time for her chance to snatch the commander away without drawing too much attention. As the main course was done, bickering between the girls erupted once more as they ordered their dessert dishes.

Well, thanks to that, she finally got an opening when the commander excused himself to the restroom. Together with Hatsuyuki, they asked a staff to let them access the dining space on the second floor, which was temporarily closed off due to renovations. As they sat down together at a table, Inazuma placed a hand on Hatsuyuki's shoulder. "Go on," she whispered.

"Inazuma, what's this about?" the commander asked.

"C-Commander, I want to apologize," Hatsuyuki said. "T-The other day… I did something horrible…"

"Apologize for what?"

"A-About the interview."

"Don't worry about it."

Hatsuyuki shook her head. "I did a bit of digging on the net and I found out that there were already existing rumors that you were involved in a few off-the-record operations in Serenoir and Mintrime. Ever since the interview was shown on TV, they're uncovering more and more information each day regarding about your movements in the recent years."

"Nexus Intelligence Hub?" When Hatsuyuki nodded, he made a smile. "Thought so, but why are you so worried?"

"A-Aren't you afraid?"

"I'm already an outlaw to begin with, but I'm surprised that the news networks haven't shown my pending criminal charges back at the mainland court."

Inazuma took a deep breath. "T-Then the reason why you're here in Caffelatte..."

"The Peacekeepers aren't really finicky about my case," he replied, "so they took me in. Of course, I had help from Minako and the others too."

"I made the situation worse for you," Hatsuyuki said. "I'm really sorry."

"Don't be. Isn't it only natural for the law to chase and punish those who've committed crimes?"

Hatsuyuki finally put up an indignant face as she looked into the commander's eyes. "Is it true then? I-Is it true that you killed those Navy officials three years ago?"

The commander's eyes widened. He directed his gaze away from her. "I did."

"But I know what truly happened—Commodore Minako told me!" Hatsuyuki grabbed the hem of her skirt. "You did everything in a blind rage! You were never in control of—"

"No, I was perfectly aware of what was happening that time." He glanced at Inazuma. "More than that, I've capitalized on their deaths and made an example to protect myself. It was murder, clear as day."

He sighed, leaning on the backrest. "My point is, even if they didn't get an interview from any of you, they would find a way regardless."

"But people are so judgmental," Hatsuyuki rubbed her teary eyes. "Even though you actually haven't done anything wrong… even though they don't even know you personally… they'll try to condemn and tear you apart because they can. People like that… I can't stand them."

"Those types would always find a reason to complain just for the sake of it. If you think that you're being selfish for telling the truth, I won't even know what I should call them." He wore a stern expression. "Look, I never needed your apology and you shouldn't feel bad about it either."

"C-Commander!" Inazuma glared at him as Hatsuyuki began sobbing. "Now's not the time!"

The commander went on. "For the most part, I don't care what the world thinks about me." He made a short pause. "And I think you should too. To a certain extent, at least."

Hatsuyuki slowly looked up. "H-Huh?"

"It's good that you're aware of the gravity and ramifications of your actions. On the other hand, giving it too much thought will only do you more harm than good."

"Y-Yeah," Inazuma replied. "Besides, the commander never really scolded us when—"

"T-That's exactly the reason why I'm scared." Hatsuyuki brought her feet on her seat and hugged her knees. "Other than Akatsuki, everybody else doesn't speak anything about my faults. I always find myself stuck in an awful loop, thinking all sorts of things. Like, if you guys are badmouthing me behind my back or if you are considering replacing me with someone more useful to the fleet."

Inazuma frowned. "We… never knew."

"But it's my fault for not speaking up about it. I know that you guys aren't that kind of people, but… I just can't help it. It's just one disappointment after another, huh?"

"D-Don't say that."

"Whenever I have those thoughts, the past keeps coming back to me." Hatsuyuki rubbed her eyes again. "A throwaway destroyer like me should've sunk that day."

"H-Hatsuyuki!" Inazuma grabbed her free hand, squeezing it. "That's enough, okay?"

The commander made a small smile. "The hypocrisy stings, but I'll make a special exception this one time: making mistakes is fine."

Hatsuyuki shook her head. "Y-You're just saying that to make me feel better. That… doesn't change anything."

"Don't stint your own growth like that, Hatsuyuki. You were never misguided—you just need a boost in confidence, that's all." He grimaced. "And… I don't want you to become like me."

"Th-Then what should I do?"

"I don't know the answer to that, but I can only ask you one favor."

"W-What is it?"

"Be strong for those who you call allies. You'll need their help as much as they'll need you." He shrugged. "Well, that's why fleets are called fleets, right?"

Hatsuyuki looked down. "Allies… friends... I don't know how to tell them apart from the rest."

"Still, that shouldn't stop you in putting your trust in someone else. If you can do that for someone like me, everything else will be a cake walk."

Inazuma nodded. "H-He's right. Even though he doesn't admit it, he also has friends that he can rely on when the times are tough and bleak."

His eyes narrowed. "For the last time, could you stop making up baseless assumptions out of nowhere?"

"Like Akatsuki, you can be a terrible liar at times."

"Your laughable, paper-thin excuses are on another level though."

"But you're just a sore loser who doesn't know when to give up."

"Okay, that's actually irritating coming from you, Miss Nosy Shortcake."

"W-What?" She shot up from her seat, slamming the table. "T-That was a low blow! Take that back!"

Hatsuyuki laughed. "That's why I want to know the truth. There are still a lot of things I don't understand, but if I stick around a little longer, I can at least have the confidence to defend the commander from his detractors. I have to set things right somehow."

The commander was visibly conflicted. "You don't have to go that far."

"You shouldn't betray her expectations of you," Inazuma said.

"Hold on. You can't just—" She gave him a smile. "Why are you making that face?"

She made an eager face, eyes brimming with hope. "Commander has a plan to save Akatsuki and Murakumo! If we work together, we'll save our friends for sure!"

"Where did you—" He rubbed his forehead. "Damnit, Einrost."

Hatsuyuki nodded. "Me too... I'll do everything I can to help! I can't just keep running like this!"

"That's why you don't have to worry too much," Inazuma told him. "We got your back. All that's left is for you to give the orders."

He made a small smile. "Looks like we're all set for tomorrow then. I'll be counting on you two."

The two destroyers exchanged looks and smiled. "We'll do our best!"


	10. Past Panoramas

**09—Past Panoramas**

* * *

Her struggle against the waves soon ended.

Using up every ounce of her strength, there was no hope for her to be rescued.

Not when the fleet was being subjected to heavy bombardment.

She resigned to her fate and allowed herself to be taken into the ocean's still darkness.

She watched the glittering surface slowly fades in the distance.

Her body soon thrashed about, screaming for precious air.

But it was a mere exercise in futility.

She just wanted everything to end.

And it did.

Her pain and suffering—all of it vanished in an instant.

However, as if suspended by some unknown force, her consciousness remained.

She wondered if she already passed.

But once again, her doubts were met with a swift answer.

A sharp stinging sensation ran through her mind, and she could feel warmth returning to her body.

Another bout of unbearable pain drowned her senses.

Her eyes shot open as she gasped for air.

_How odd._

She found herself in a familiar room.

Her eyes wandered around for the second time. Sure enough, she wasn't mistaken.

Beside her was the ghostly figure, unmoving in its seat.

Did the apparition save her in the nick of time?

She had no idea how long she was out, but what she had experience earlier wasn't a cruel dream.

In any case, she was glad that the ship survived the attack.

She slipped out of her blankets and tottered towards the door.

She wouldn't make any progress staying in her bed after all.

Upon reaching the bridge, she began to assess the damages sustained by the squadron.

It dawned on her that they were also one ship short—a destroyer identical to the one she was on.

Her heart suddenly raced. She felt lightheaded, needing to support herself against the nearest surface.

She tried asking the apparition standing next to her, but it didn't give any response.

Taking deep breaths, she rubbed her forehead in an attempt to soothe herself.

As she finally calmed down, she stared into the distance once more.

That moment, a single speck appeared over the horizon.

_An island._

Her anxiety seemed to have disappeared in an instant.

* * *

Minako's office was more crowded than usual with the number of people present inside. Among them were Admiral Asai and two Council members who were invited to listen to the emergency briefing. Surprisingly, the admiral made no qualms on joining them despite his hectic schedule—a reassuring indication that there were still reasonable figures among the Naval Domain's ranks who would listen to the commander without prejudice.

Attending meetings and conference with powerful and prestigious individuals was something that she was still getting used to, but to be in close proximity with one of the Navy's Head Directors in the world never felt so discouraging. He had an unmistakable air of superiority around him, which made him more intimidating with his considerable physique and stature. However, the Navy fleet girls with them didn't seem to share her sentiment as they chatted and poked fun at each other as if he was never there.

He seemed no stranger to those girls though, especially after hearing him giving Haruna a compliment on her brewed tea. The presence of Maricelle and the other two abyssal ships didn't bother him as well.

A few minutes of nerve-wracking anticipation passed before Minako and the commander returned to the room with a few folders in hand. They moved to the forefront and kicked off their agenda as the commodore went through the relevant incidents that had transpired in the past weeks, including the abductions happening throughout Caffelatte. This provoked many questions from the attendees, and Minako promptly passed the floor to the commander.

Everyone quieted down again and gave their undivided attention to him. "Y-You guys… why are you staring so hard like that?"

"Go, Commander!" Fumizuki shouted.

His smile was short-lived as he took a deep breath and looked at the crowd before him once more. Everyone was confused since he hadn't spoken yet. Inazuma panicked as she realized that he was actually staring at her that whole time. _W-What's wrong?_

He shook his head. "Before I get to that, I wanted to inform everyone that the strike force involved in the raid hasn't made any kind of contact with the captive abyssal ships from the hidden research facility."

"How reliable is that intel of yours?" the female council officer asked.

"We just have to trust their word on that. I'm sure you have noticed the increase in Abyssal activity around the island since yesterday—they're still looking for clues themselves."

"So, are you saying that invading enemy ship didn't enter the holding bay—that all of the captive specimens managed to escape on their own?"

"That was I was hoping to happen when I leaked the security data to Serra. Her fleet's shelling temporarily disrupted the facility's operations, giving the captured Abyssals a window to break free."

"And for that reason, you cost us millions of dollars for such an extremely reckless and selfish plan. The power network in that sector is beyond repair!"

"Better than getting the whole island destroyed. I already mentioned this in the previous assembly—everything else was irrelevant as long as they could find the cargo."

"I suppose you have an idea where they could have gone to?" the other officer asked.

"I don't."

"That's strange," Yurie said. "They should have returned to their allies after escaping. Were they recaptured somehow?"

"It's no longer my problem."

"You already knew where Akatsuki and Murakumo were taken?"

He nodded, looking at Zuihou. "Approximately thirteen hundred nautical miles, west-southwest from this island."

The monitor above him indicated the location with a red marker on the map. "Interesting," Admiral Asai said. "Is it an offshore base?"

"No, it's on an island spanning five miles in length and about three and a half in width."

The female council officer looked at her tablet. "But perhaps you are mistaken? There shouldn't be any islands in that sector." She gasped. "U-Unless…"

"Another one?" the other officer said. "What's with these islands popping out everywhere?"

"In any case, we'll deploy in two hours," the commander said, much to the surprise of everyone. "We need to get a drop on them before they can fully mobilize."

"You're being hasty. We need to prepare accordingly to be able to stand up against the enemy."

"We already are," he said, glancing at Inazuma and her friends. "I'm not asking for a huge task force. I'll take anything you can spare."

"You should know where you stand by now," the female council officer said. "We have enough reason to incarcerate you again if you insist on doing this with your self-serving authority."

"Is that a threat?"

"No, it's an order. For the sake of your subordinates, it would be in your best interest to cooperate with us on the grounds that will—"

He gave her a stern look. "Two years of protective custody was plenty of time to reflect on it, but I think I have to make this clear for everyone: I'm not doing this for you. It's not about gaining back everyone's trust or sympathy—not that I have a reputation to uphold in the first place—and it's not about pulling a childish stunt just to spite anyone either."

"Don't we all have personal agendas to cater with? We just cannot allow you to be fully in charge of this operation—we know that you need our help, but this one-sided arrangement of yours isn't giving us a lot of options right now."

"I'd say that you never had any choices to begin with. You _will_ cooperate with us."

"Such arrogance will—"

"Sato, that's enough," the admiral said, looking at the commander. "Your urgency is noted, Yuu. However, you should already be aware that we have corresponding protocols and procedures to follow and uphold."

"He's right," Minako followed. "One step at a time—you know more than everyone else in this room how much is at stake here. Rushing in blindly will only result in failure, compromising the lives of their prisoners and your comrades."

The admiral nodded. "We understand your concerns, and I assure you that our arrangement will be strictly confidential."

The commander grimaced, closed his eyes, and sighed. "I'm not so sure about that."

"You requested us for assistance," Sato said, "and yet you distrust us that much? We lost a few of our girls from those Irregulars as well."

"Huh," Einrost poured wine in the glass given to her by Haruna, "so they even snagged some here too."

"Which reminds me… Kouji, do you have any new leads about the abductions?"

"Those incidents were brought to our attention countless of times, but we have yet to figure out the exact motive behind them."

The commander nodded. "If they only wanted to use a fleet girl as a living battery for automatons, they could just grab the nearest vagrant they could find instead of intercepting capable fleets out in the sea."

"We already know that much. It's puzzling that they're taking such a precarious approach when they can just construct fleet girls to experiment on."

Minako approached the council members and gave them a folder. "These are… profiles of the missing fleet girls," Sato said.

"Look at their service records," the commander said, "then you'll know."

She stared down at the folder's contents. Seconds later, she started flipping the pages faster. "U-Unbelievable," she said. "You managed to deduce all these?"

"I did nothing special here," he replied, rubbing the patch on his forehead. "Once you have all the relevant information, all that's left is to piece them together. I already had a hunch that they're cherry-picking experienced fleet girls, but with the help of Akatsuki, I was able to confirm it for real."

"W-What do you mean?" Inazuma blurted out.

"I used Akatsuki and Murakumo as bait."

"You risked their lives for that?!" Yurie shot up from her seat. "It's sickening that you've become that desperate just to get what you want!"

"Now it all makes sense," Kumano said, clenching the hem of her skirt. "The feeling I had that time—they were almost too sure of themselves, as if there was an underlying purpose for their recklessness."

"Maybe I am," the commander said, "but we pulled it off regardless. They're still alive and that's what matters."

"And that's your excuse?" Yurie said. "Einrost, why aren't you speaking up for—"

"He's right about one thing," he replied. "And you know that I was the only person he consulted regarding that plan of his."

"What? He can't even guarantee that they're safe right now!"

"I know that." Einrost's eyes narrowed as he looked at the commander. "I was hesitant about the whole thing, but a heavy-handed slap to the face was all that was needed to convince me. That girl's seriously a pain whenever she tries to play superhero."

Yurie shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. "Hopeless, insensitive morons—the two of you."

He stepped in front of Yurie, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Come on, we haven't even started yet. Chew him out all you want later, but you have to trust him on this first."

She slapped one of his hands away. "But you still have to admit that it was a dumb move."

"Well, I am a businessman—taking gambles like this is second nature. More than that, I have faith on Murakumo."

The commander nodded. "They might not look like it," he said, "but those two can take a heavy beating. I just had to make sure everything goes according to plan—I won't send them out there without a fail-safe of some kind."

"Shit, you can be pretty sadistic at times, you know that?"

"B-But we weren't able to save Sendai." All eyes turned to Jintsuu. "C-Commander, I believe the others should know about it too."

He hesitated for a moment. "Go ahead."

"W-What is it, Jintsuu?" Fumizuki asked.

The commander lowered his head and sighed. "Before I was taken in, I tasked her and Jintsuu to keep an eye on the fleet's cargo so that we could learn where they would take those captive Abyssals in the island. I wasn't able to contact them when I was detained, so tracking their movements was out of the question."

Jintsuu took a deep breath. "W-We quickly fled to a nearby island after we were found out by a fleet girl unit from the coast guard," she said, her voice starting to falter. "Sendai used herself as a diversion so that I can escape, but I wish I listened to her that time. Our pursuers didn't hold back—they crippled her until she was dead in the water and sunk her for good. I tried to run, but they caught me afterwards."

The cruiser broke down into tears. "T-They sunk Sendai?!" Nagara said. "Y-You're kidding, right?

Commotion in the room grew louder, but Minako quickly assumed control of the situation. "This never came up before—tell us more about this patrol unit that apprehended you."

"It was a unit of five fleet girls—one of them was a battleship and they're all wearing helmets of some kind. They also had a gunboat as backup while chasing us."

"Coast guard units, especially on patrol duty, aren't issued with C2 and C3 MAUs. We don't have plenty of those to go around with after all." She looked at Asai. "We'll have to investigate this later."

Yurie glared at the commander. "What do you have to say about that?"

He didn't respond. "N-No," Jintsuu said, rubbing her eyes. "It's not his fau—"

"And we're actually going to believe that he has everything under control? How about you, Inazuma? Don't tell me you're just going to keep quiet there."

Inazuma kept her eyes on the floor, keeping her emotions from bursting out. "I… I don't know…"

"No more of this blame game!" Uzuki shouted. "Seriously, stop it!"

"U-Uzuki?"

"He screwed up there, sure, but I'll gladly help him too when given the choice," she said. "I haven't given up on Yayoi and I'm sure you feel the same way. I just can't believe we're wasting our time arguing here while the others are suffering right now!"

"You heard her," Maya said. "Personally, I can't wait to crack some heads later. Those bastards are gonna pay."

Einrost picked up his glass next to his seat and took a swig. "I've already committed to this plan, so no point arguing over it. We need you in this, Yurie—don't stress yourself out like that."

"Alright, I get it," Yurie said, sitting down. She looked into the commander's eyes once again. "This better be worth everything, Yuu."

"Of course, I made a promise, and I _don't_ intend on breaking it. I know what I signed up for when I joined the Peacekeepers."

Inazuma looked at Hatsuyuki, and the latter did the same. _Was that…?_

Minako nodded. "Once we secure that base, everything else will follow. I need everyone to focus for now as we still have a lot of things to sort out."

* * *

The meeting finished on a somber note and everyone started their preparations. Inazuma and Hatsuyuki stayed behind as they accompanied the commander for a physical checkup. They watched Mica set up a delicate-looking device connected to her laptop. Afterwards, she donned a lab coat and walked in front of him. "So, what seems to be the problem, my esteemed client?"

"Enough playing around, alright?"

"Same tests as always, but just to be sure, I have to ask if you've suffered any traumatic injuries recently." The commander cast his gaze to the side. "Hey, I'm asking you."

Inazuma gave him a stern look. "Well, he got shot the other day."

"H-He got what?!" Mica shook him by the shoulders. "Where? Show me!"

"In the chest."

The commander narrowed his eyes at her, but she strengthened her resolve and returned an equally indignant look. "Take your shirt off!" Mica grabbed one side of his coat, yanking it away. "Grr… I thought you want me to finish this quick?!"

"Ngh, fine."

Hesitantly, he removed all his upper garments one by one. As he was left completely bare, he crossed his arms and glared at the two destroyers. "You girls are staring too much."

"Hmph." Inazuma looked away, narrowing her eyes.

On the other hand, Hatsuyuki had a glum expression on her face. "C-Commander… your arm."

"Uhh, you're not even a girl," Mica said, typing at her laptop. "Why are you acting so nervous like that?"

"I-It's just…" His lip quivered, averting his eyes. "J-Just get to work already."

She giggled. "Okay, okay."

Mica pulled a small drawer from the device, housing electrodes and sensors of various colors and sizes. When she was done unraveling their cables, she attached them to his chest and right arm. Finally, she took out a long cable from her backpack and used it to connect the laptop to his forearm terminal.

As everything was ready, the device gave off muted beeps in a set interval as the built-in screen began to display the readings. Each reading didn't take more than half a minute, and they repeated the process a few more times with different settings and slightly varying placements of the sensors.

Mica went through the results on her laptop for the last time. With a final tap on the keyboard, she stretched her arms up. "Done!"

"How bad is it?" Minako asked from her desk. "That greyish blotch around his wound, I mean."

"He temporarily turned off his suppressor to reactivate the nearest infected cells from the wound." She ran a finger on the gray vein-like pattern crawling from his right shoulder. "Well, it did the job, but—"

"I would've died if I didn't do it, Mica," the commander said.

She leaned closer to his face. "Are you sure?"

"Why would I even lie about it?"

"We told you that you shouldn't deactivate the module on a whim."

"Didn't you hear what I said? T-That's not—"

"No means no." A hissing sound was heard as the lock mechanism around Mica's neck was released. She took off her helmet, dropping it near her feet. "Do you want to become like me?"

Inazuma was breathless, seeing her face for the first time:

Her skin was horridly scarred and deformed, similar to the commander's arm.

Her bloodshot eyes gave off a translucent purple glow. Her crown didn't have a single strand of hair donning it. Instead, purple vein-like bulges covered the top of her head, running down to the left side of her face.

It was a horrific, yet pitiful sight.

"You're being absurd." He directed his gaze to the floor. "I know you always want to make your point across at the cheapest way possible, but could you stop doing that?"

"W-Well… unless you take our words to heart… I'll keep haunting you with my face." Short of breath, Mica picked her helmet up, smiled, and wore it again. "Whew, haven't done that in a while!"

"What's your recommendation?" Minako asked.

"We have to take him to Kyrie ASAP." She began removing the sensors off the commander's body. "Like, right now."

"W-Wait," Inazuma said, "take him to where?"

"Garnyza, just past the border of Mainosa."

"T-That far?!"

"Well, that's where Kyrie's currently hidi—erm, staying right now. Sneaking him through the mainland shouldn't be that much of a problem, but we'd really appreciate it if she had picked a more accessible place."

"And is it really that bad? His condition, I mean."

"Since the mutation has spread past the suppressor's scope, it needs to be reconfigured. I can do it on my own body, but Kyrie knows his case better than I do." She looked down as her voice became shaky. "I can't screw it up, you know?"

"You heard Mica," Minako told the commander. "Just leave the op to us and—"

His face twisted to a scowl. "What? You can't be serious."

"I'm sorry," Mica said, "but we really have to get you there before the mutation gets worse."

"I'll consider it after we finish our business here."

The commodore stood up and picked up her tablet. "So, you do plan on participating."

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"I have this feeling that there's more to our case than meets the eye. Your involvement in the previous incidents and your commitment in bringing light to the truth, it is certainly intriguing."

"You guys really love being cryptic and stuff," Mica said, cocking her head to the side.

"I have to attend a meeting downstairs. Do what you must to prepare for the operation."

"H-Hold on, what about—"

"Even if we tie him down and stuff him inside a steel safe, his stubbornness will find a way out. Honestly, I don't want to make our situation any more complicated than it already is."

Mica and Inazuma exchanged exasperated looks and nodded. "Can't argue with that," Mica said. "Nnn… fine. We'll take him _after_ the operation, and that's final."

"It feels that I'm being insulted," he said.

Minako stopped at the doorway, looking at him. "I'll see all of you later."

As the commodore left the room, Mica continued putting her things away. "H-Hatsuyuki," Inazuma said, "you've been intensely staring at him for a while now…"

"C-Commander," Hatsuyuki pointed at the terminal on his arm, "where did you get that?"

He raised his forearm, giving an obstructed view of the device. "Oh, you know what this is?"

Hatsuyuki nodded twice. "I've seen similar pictures at the Nexus Archives. The form factor and design of the device—it's most likely a customized _Enterprise-grade_ Generation 5 terminal."

"Wow, you know your stuff, Hatsuyuki!" Mica said. "It's also the fourth and final iteration of the fifth gen terminals, which was used as framework for modern smart terminals we use today!"

"Ah," Inazuma said, "older terminals are all bulky and heavy, right?"

Hatsuyuki stepped closer and leaned towards the device. "I've read that the exterior casing is made out of some high-grade titanium alloy. The Navy's standard-issue units will look flimsy when you put them side by side."

Mica nodded. "His terminal has abussosium mixed in for extra durability and corrosion resistance. Well, it has to work at all times since it's the one monitoring the suppressor module on his shoulder."

"The terminal's embedded in his forearm… but how did he make it fit like that?"

"We removed the battery compartment, the sensor array and its camera, and the auxiliary ports—basically all the bells and whistles. Freed up a lot of space."

"T-Then how do you power it?"

"With his blood. Convenient, isn't it?"

Hatsuyuki looked at the commander. "I… I see. How nice."

"Are you two done?" he asked.

"Y-Yeah." Mica sighed. "All this talk is somehow making me feel old."

"For the record, you're not exactly young anymore, Mica."

"S-Shut up!" She pulled a trolley carrying a silver case and a cardboard box. "Minako already gave her approval, so there's no point holding on to these any longer. Well, they're yours anyway."

She opened them both, revealing three augmentation units. The case had a pair of vambrace-type armor unit while the cardboard box contained an all-purpose modular pack.

"Class 3 units?" Hatsuyuki said.

"Yup, based on the prototype he used years ago. I went and searched for my old backup drive just so that I can integrate his personal settings into the units too." As the commander reached out for the arm guards, one of the units jumped out of the case and attached itself on his right forearm. The guard whirred as it expanded a bit more outwards, attaching mag-ion receptors on his palm. "Perfect fit, isn't it? I'm sure you'll get used to it quick."

He admired the arm guard with wide eyes. "Well, this is new."

"And here's yours, Hatsuyuki." Mica gave her a card case. "Me and some lab fairies made the final adjustments as instructed by its maker. I'm sure you'll love its features."

With a confused look on her face, the destroyer took the case and removed the card inside. "T-This is mine?"

"He had it made for you."

The commander wore his coat over his shoulders. "Anything's fine, right?" he said, inspecting a marine combat uniform he received from Mica. "Lots of ideas were shared on developing the unit."

"Isn't this… expensive? And you're just giving it to me?"

"Rather than letting all our funds sit around in a suspended account for who knows how long."

"Elaborate on that please," Inazuma said. "I haven't had the chance to check our fleet's account since we left Auspice, that's why—"

"I spent it all."

"What? But we just received the reimbursement fee and two more miscellaneous payments when Fumizuki was—"

"Okay, I don't get why you're so surprised when you handed those cards over to Urakaze and the others yourself."

"S-So those equipment cards..." Inazuma sighed. "I should've figured that they had to come from somewhere."

Hatsuyuki had a small smile on her face as she nodded. "T-Thank you, Commander. I'll take care of it."

"Why not give it a try now?" he said.

Bathed in a soothing light, she released her equipment all at once. Inazuma immediately noticed the new unit attached on Hatsuyuki's funnel. The design looked similar to the commander's modular pack, but each side was fitted with a pair of autocannon turrets.

She gasped and brought out her shield. "The colors match! That's cute!"

"Heh, all that's left is a flag for that authentic touch," Mica said.

Inazuma looked at Hatsuyuki, who seemed to be in a daze. "W-What's the matter?"

"My fairies are giving me instructions."

"Instructions?" she asked.

"Ah, right," Mica said. "Her fairies have to train on using the drones."

"So, they're just like the planes that fleet girls use?"

The two cannon mounts separated from the main unit, hovering just above them. "A-Awesome," Hatsuyuki said.

Suddenly, the turrets accelerated and began circling the office, knocking over items displayed in the cabinets and bookshelves. "Hawawa!" Inazuma shielded her face with her arms. "So fast!"

Mica squatted beside the sofa. "Easy there! Try to—" One of the drones crashed through the already broken window, shattering the remains of its pane. "Uh-oh…"

Hatsuyuki started to panic as she ran towards the window. "All of you will get a turn, okay? So, stop fighting already!"

"T-They're fighting over the controls?!" Mica followed and poked her head outside. "Have them activate the unit's recall function!"

"Listen, damnit!" Hatsuyuki shouted. "This is just embarrassing to the commander! No buts or I'll destroy this unit myself!"

Inazuma was astonished. "H-Hatsuyuki?"

"And you're actually talking back?! You guys won't be getting any ice cream from me ever again!"

That seemed to do the trick as the drone flying in the room stopped and hovered behind her. The runaway drone made its entry through another window before making a curve towards her, and one after another, the turrets attached themselves to the main unit with a distinctive click. The look of relief on Hatsuyuki's face quickly disappeared as she scanned the messy room before her.

Mica sighed. "As we just experienced firsthand, try not to deploy the drones indoors."

Hatsuyuki's shoulders slumped. She looked conflicted, fending off the urge to cry. "S-Sorry… I'm gonna tell Miss Minako about this later." She stepped around the glass shards on the floor. "W-Where do they keep their cleaning tools?"

"That can wait," the commander said as he walked towards the bathroom. "You three should get ready."

"Huh?" Inazuma said. "I thought we have to wait for the Admiral's clearance first? I mean, we still have at least an hour to—"

"For a former Navy fleet girl, I thought you would know better about preparedness and constant vigilance in any circumstances."

_Why is he being so pushy all of a sudden?_ She didn't know if she was overthinking things again, but there was something about the commander's overall bearing earlier that kept bugging her.

After helping Hatsuyuki to calm down, they did a quick maintenance check of their equipment with Mica. When they were about to finish, the commander returned to the main room with his gear already equipped. "All set?" he asked, panting.

"You okay?" Mica asked.

"Yeah," he grimaced as he tapped his right arm, "just had another episode."

She gave a long sigh before giving him a mag-ion cell. "Just for this day, okay? We really need to get to Kyrie before it's too late."

"Give me a sec." He sighed as he took off his combat vest and jacket, feeding the cell's contents to the suppressor unit. "Thanks."

Mica turned around as she pulled the trolley next to the doorway. "Commander," Inazuma said, eyeing the fresh scar on his forehead, "is that what you were referring the other day? About not having enough time to spare?"

"There's more to it frankly." He secured a Peacekeeper beret on his head as he finished dressing up and gestured to the door. "Physiological effects are a given for AM mutations, but there are cases where it messes with your brain, down to the subconscious level."

"The symptoms vary from each and every case," Mica said. "Hallucinations, extreme mood swings, and even personality disorders."

Inazuma gulped. "Now I'm worried."

They exited the room and followed Mica leading the way. "Commander, how did you get that arm in the first place?" Hatsuyuki asked.

He paused for a moment. "Around a decade ago."

Her eyes widened. "Y-You were there?"

"Yeah."

"E-Eh? Around ten years?" Inazuma counted with her fingers, letting out a gasp as she caught on. "Y-You mean... _Midsummer Exodus_?! Does that mean you're from Tropielle?!"

The commander was taken aback as well. "Y-You don't have to sound that surprised."

"H-How should I know when most of your records are all made up?" Calming down, Inazuma put a hand on her chest. "B-But it was a miracle that you are alive after what happened there."

"Only because the island where I used to live was the farthest from ground zero. We still got hit badly—the Abyssals crushed the Navy outpost and made their landing with guns blazing. I wouldn't even call it a fight."

"A-Ah… I'm sorry."

"Don't be. If it weren't for you girls, the casualties would have been unprecedented." He pointed at Mica. "She's also a Tropielle-native, by the way."

"So, her injuries—" She stopped herself, feeling guilty.

"She suffered way worse than me, but it's easy to forget that fact seeing her peppy all the time."

"U-Uhh," Mica said, wagging her finger, "I can hear you guys, you know?"

He smiled. "This gloomy talk won't get us anywhere."

"C-Commander," Inazuma said, "just one more thing… it's about the meeting earlier."

"What is it?"

She gulped as she walked close to him. "Sendai," she whispered, "she's still alive, right?"

"No, she's dead."

She narrowed her eyes. "Really?" He launched a glare at her, causing her to flinch and retreat to Hatsuyuki's side. "Why did he lie to everyone like that?"

"Play along for now," Hatsuyuki whispered back. "He might have another plan."

* * *

They walked through the bustling lobby, ignoring the inquisitive eyes around them. Some weren't even subtle about showing their disgust and anger seeing them. Inazuma found some breathing space as they went through the west wing corridor and exited the building from there.

Unfortunately for her, there was no shortage of unwanted attention outside either. The commander told them to quicken their pace this time as they headed straight to the compound's southern gate. An officer called out to the group, ordering them to stop. "Ignore him," the commander said. "Keep following Mica."

Inazuma couldn't help but feel even more nervous. Although her conscience demanded answers, she couldn't bring herself to ask him, locking her in a self-induced loop.

Ahead of them, Mica held up her identification and executive access cards for the guards to see. As they were cleared to leave the compound, Inazuma glanced back to see the same officer and a few armed marines running towards them. "C-Commander, what now?"

"Break!" Mica whirled and tossed the disc-like device attached on her back. As it landed past the gate, the disc transformed into an armored turret and fired at the pursuing marines.

Inazuma gasped as she stopped running. "B-But they'll get—!" The soldiers were knocked off their feet as the turret fired in quick succession. "S-Slug rounds? N-Nevermind!"

The group took a path down a slope leading to a familiar marketplace. Marines stationed there noticed and fired at them. Inazuma's group dived to the nearest structure they could use as cover.

"W-Why are they shooting at us?"

"A minute too late to ask that now," the commander said, producing a smart bomb from his supply pack. "And you don't actually need to take cover, you know?"

"Why would I want to get hit?!"

"Stay put," Mica said over the comms. "I got this."

Inazuma turned to her right. "Huh?! Where did she—"

Gunfire erupted once more, but they could also pick up disgruntled and panicking voices of the soldiers. As she peeked from their hiding place, the marines were being attacked by something unseen. She focused her mag-ions into her eyes. "I-It's her!"

Mica moved from target to target with surprising agility, knocking each of them down with a single hit. The remaining marine anticipated her movement as he tried to smack her with his rifle's stock, but she quickly caught it with her hand. "Wow, you noticed me?" she said, deactivating her optical camouflage. "Pretty good!"

"W-Wait, aren't you that kid technician from R&amp;D?"

"Yup!" She yanked the rifle away, snapping it in half. "I don't have to hurt you, so stay down and—"

A down marine fired his pistol from behind, but the bullet merely bounced off her helmet, causing her head to stagger slightly. Without looking back, she raised her right hand and the marine was brought into the air. And when she pointed forward, he flew straight into a coal shack.

Astounded, the man tottered backwards and finally fell on his bottom. "I… I'm gonna sit this one out."

Mica chuckled. "You made the right choice." She turned around, waving a hand at Inazuma and the rest. "Let's go!"

They proceeded further down the island until they reached the coastal village where Urakaze and the others were staying. Mica ran towards the shore and climbed on a boulder. "Behold," she said, gesturing at the distorted space beside her. "Frigate Stork Mark 2!"

The camouflage disappeared, revealing an aircraft of some kind. It sported retractable wings similar to the recent VTOL models used by the Navy, but its elevated cockpit and compact appearance made it stand out from the rest. "Looks familiar," the commander said.

"Stork?" Inazuma said. "You mean… the bird?"

"Yup, they're highly versatile," Mica said, holding up three fingers. "They can walk on land, float on water, and glide in the air. Some of them can even dive into the water to catch their prey!"

"Right, now I remember," he said. "It's that Frontier-class APTV prototype you guys were working on, right? How the hell did you manage to steal this?"

"What? No! They were gonna scrap her since the project was discontinued, so—" They looked up as they heard the humming rotors of a gunship quickly growing louder. Fighter planes could also be seen approaching from the south. In a fit of panic, Mica repeatedly tapped her terminal's screen. "T-This isn't good—the rear hatch isn't responding!"

Aster's voice was heard through their comms. "We've been trying to access the system's master control. Can you remove the authorization lock from your terminal?"

"Huh? I didn't put any user restrictions on the system."

"It appears that the system has initiated a lockdown on its own."

"The control panel doesn't seem to work too," Chikuma said.

"Get out of the way—I'll tear it down myself!"

"Mari, no!" Mica cried.

"Call me that again and I'll smash my knuckles into your pathetic face!"

"Quit bein' stupid," Ryuujou said. "You ain't gonna solve anything with that attitude!"

"What did you say?!"

The commotion inside erupted into a brawl. "A-At this rate," Mica said, "they'll destroy our getaway before we could even board it!"

And just as Inazuma had feared, the gunship emerged from the trees behind them and began firing its cannons. She instinctively deployed her shield, but Hatsuyuki was faster—the pair of drones hovered in the air and released a significantly larger field, shielding them from the shower of lead.

"Yuu," Mica asked, "what should we do?"

The commander stepped forward, peering at the side of the aircraft. "Maybe we can force it to open if we—" As soon as he put a hand on the hatch, the vessel's color shifted to a darker scheme: a glossy black body with red and gray highlights. "O-Okay, that happened."

"W-What did you do?!"

"D-Don't ask—wait, Marvie's inside, right?"

"Y-Yeah, what about it?"

The commander shook his head. "Marvie!" he shouted, banging the hatch with his fist. "Open up the hatch!" And almost instantly, the hatch began to lower, prompting them to move out of the way.

"How did you do that?"

"It's your fault for linking her into the main system."

"W-Well… I need someone to power and maintain the camouflage while we're gone!"

When the hatch's platform was completely lowered, they saw Maricelle and Ryuujou still throwing punches at each other. "If you guys want to kill each other that badly, you're free to do so outside. I don't want to waste anymore time as it is."

Growling, Ryuujou was the first to back off. "From all the people you could've chosen—why her?"

Maricelle glared at her, but she didn't utter another word. Suddenly, a tremendous explosion sent all of them to the floor. "D-Did they just fire a missile at us?

Inazuma gasped as she saw Hatsuyuki sprawled outside. "N-No!"

The gunship renewed its assault with its autocannons. Inazuma rushed outside to pick her friend up. Maricelle stepped out as well. "Those insects are begging to die, aren't they?" She aimed her arm cannon at the aircraft. "Today's their lucky day."

Without thinking twice, Inazuma tackled the abyssal destroyer just as she fired her gun. The shell tore through its wing, causing it to whirl in the air. The gunship eventually lost its balance and crashed on the other side of the cliff. "They're trying to kill us and you still want to protect them? Are you really that stupid?!"

"I told you already that there's no meaning in—"

A heavy punch to the face knocked her into the shallow water. "Mess me with me again and I'll give you something more than a bloody nose, you hear?"

Inazuma tried to open her eyes but quickly decided against it as her spinning vision was only making her headache worse.

Someone pulled her out of the water. "Inazuma, you okay?"

Still in a daze, she reopened her eyes to see the commander shaking her shoulders. "Y-Yeah, I have to get used to this."

Before she could stand up on her own, he suddenly scooped her up with both arms and jumped back on the hatch platform. They got inside and placed her on an empty seat. "Get us out of here!" he shouted.

"Aye, buckle up everyone!" Mica replied from the cockpit. "Main thrusters up and ready—launching!"

The aircraft began to accelerate before the hatch could close, sending seawater inside the passenger compartment. "Mica, we got water in here!"

"Sorry about that—I'll drain it into the ballast tanks while filling them up!" A few seconds later, the vessel began to submerge. "Reactivating spectral coating."

"I'm detecting several aerial signatures directly above us," Aster said, "but they don't seem to be doing anything yet. We have deployed decoys and interceptors, just to be on the safe side."

The commander let out a sigh, sitting next to Inazuma. "We can rest easy for a bit at least."

Mica hopped down from the cockpit and flipped a few switches on a panel beside her. "Had to adjust our bearing, but I think we won't run into any problems for now."

"How's Marvie?"

"I gave her something to play with since she can't resist pressing random buttons in there."

Chikuma peered through the rectangular window. "This is my first time riding a submersible aircraft. It sure is a unique experience."

"Well, good thing you didn't destroy the hatch. Stork can't outrun them, you know?"

Now that they could settle down, Inazuma mustered up her courage and sent a convincing glare at the commander. "You have a lot of explaining to do. What's with this sudden change of plans?"

"We need extra help from outside, so we'll pick them up later," he replied. "And you'll know the rest when we get there."

"You could've at least told us about it."

"I simply saved us the trouble from having pointless arguments—like the one we're having now."

"Well, you're the one with the plan, so it's not like I can stop you anyway."

He put on an irritated face. "What's gotten into you? I thought you guys trust me."

"N-No, you got it the other way around since you can't even—"

"Don't fight," Hatsuyuki said.

Inazuma shook her head, trying to regain her composure. "W-We're not fighting," she whispered. _I'm just… disappointed, I guess…_

Maricelle snorted. "Don't worry—only fools would expect anything from someone as hopeless as you are."

"How 'bout I make some adjustments on that mouth of yours?" Ryuujou said.

"Bring it then."

"Okay, that's enough," Chikuma said, assuming a commanding tone.

"Guys," Mica said, crossing her arms, "if you need some refreshments and snacks, you can grab some in the fridge over there. Maybe it'll help cool those heads off."

Ryuujou crawled towards the compartment Mica indicated. "Ain't this a transport carrier for the marines? Why's there a fridge in 'ere?" She opened another compartment beside the fridge. "And a pantry too—didya mistake this op for a field trip or something?"

"Stork's mine now—I can install whatever I want!"

"What you're saying is," the commander said, "they funded a multi-million dollar project just to be used as a personal ride of an overzealous technician, who's now helping one of the world's most-wanted fugitive so that she could finally send it out on a field test. Not exactly the smartest thing you've done in recent memory, Mica."

"T-That's one way of putting it." She paused, leaning against wall. "But didn't we already talk about this? I'm helping you now because I want to—I didn't get that chance before you were turned in, but I won't make that mistake again!"

His eyes were fixed on the floor as he grimaced. "I… appreciate it."

"What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "By the way, I think you're referring to pelicans, not storks."

"Really?"

"Really."

"T-Then why didn't you say so earlier? I feel so dumb right now." She stomped away and climbed back to the cockpit. "And try not to kill each other or we'll be fish bait for good."

The tension and somewhat awkward atmosphere dissipated as time passed. Making sure that they were in the clear, the vessel resurfaced and hovered a few feet over the water so that they couldn't be easily detected by aerial surveyors and scout planes.

They also took the opportunity to take their lunch. Most of the things in the pantry were ready-made packaged meals and other processed items usually thrown inside a microwave or oven for reheating. The selection was varied though, including desserts such as ice cream and yogurt. The scents of the freshly-heated food stuffs quickly permeated the compartment—particularly Ryuujou's beef macaroni—and they had to open up the portside's hatch for that matter.

"A-Are you really sure that's not out of date?" Chikuma asked.

Ryuujou blew on a spoonful of the dish. "Ain't gonna complain if it tastes good,"

"B-But the smell... and the sauce looks suspiciously gooey and off-colored too."

"I'm the one eatin' it. Quit whinin' about my grub and start cho—"

The aircraft suddenly listed to the right, causing the contents of her pasta dish to spill over the mound of items. A subtle but audible squeak came out from under the drape.

"Oops, sorry!" Mica said. "Hatsuyuki, can you give me a hand?"

The destroyer left her seat while the rest of them kept a curious stare at Ryuujou's quivering mound of belongings. "I've been meaning to ask," the commander said, "what's that for?"

"Nothin'. Just the usual stuff I usually sell while doin' my rounds on the island."

"Mind if I take a look?"

"N-No—I'm sellin' that later!"

He looked at Chikuma, who simply averted her eyes. "If no one speaks up," Maricelle said, pointing her fork at the covered heap, "I'm gonna blow that up into dust."

"S-Stop! Please don't shoot me!"

Inazuma gasped as the person inside stood up and took off the drape. "Zu-Zuihou?!"

An awkward silence followed, making the light carrier shift uncomfortably. "H-Hi, everyone."

"Oh, this is just great," Maricelle said. "More of you maggots popping out of nowhere like seaweeds."

He sighed. "What are you doing here? And who are you calling commander?"

"U-Um, please allow me to explain first." She took a deep breath. "I consulted Commodore Minako about my enlistment to the Peacekeepers and—"

"Hold it. I know where this is going, but what exactly are you doing here?"

"I want to help you."

"That's it?"

"Didn't you mention in the meeting that you wanted help? This is my chance to prove to everyone that I can be useful too!"

Inazuma smirked before letting out an exasperated sigh. "If it's about your transfer procedures and whatnot, you can leave them to me," she said. "Our commander just loves to make simple things more complicated. Give it some time and you'll get used to it."

Zuihou's eyes went all sparkly. "Really?"

"And he may not show it, but he actually appreciates your selfless desire to assist us in this operation. In fact, he's very happy about it!"

"What?" the commander said. "Stop shoving things into my mouth."

The light aircraft carrier looked down, fidgeting. "So… can I join Commander Yuu's fleet?"

"Of course!" Inazuma replied. "I'm sure everyone else will be happy to have you in our fleet!"

She suddenly gave Inazuma a tight hug. "Thank you so much! I'll do my best!"

"Tch, I knew it—you two are definitely related," he said.

"Commander, why are you sulking?"

"He does that sometimes," the destroyer replied.

"I think she's better off being with your fleet," Chikuma told him. "Would you rather see her become like us?"

"I know that, but—"

"Times 'ave changed," Ryuujou said. "If you keep second-guessin' yourself like that, you won't be makin' progress. We'll be able to rest easier when you have reliable folks watchin' your back."

He chuckled. "Oh, I get it. You guys just wanted some peace of mind, right?"

"I didn't mean that way!"

"Okay, okay, I'll consider it." He looked at Zuihou. "However, you have to respect whatever decision I'll come up with. That means—"

"He means you're already in," Inazuma said.

He shot her a glare. "Don't push your luck, Shortcake."

"Stop calling me that!"

"Look alive, everyone!" Mica announced through the intercom. "_Dewfall shoals_ inbound!"

They reached a small island, making their landing past the hazy shoreline. Carefully, they exited the aircraft and worked their way through the fog. Despite the pristine beauty of the island, the foreboding ambience of their surroundings made Inazuma uneasy. It was only natural to feel that way since they were treading on Abyssal territory, but there was something else that she couldn't quite place in her mind.

Thankfully, they didn't need to wander around aimlessly as the navigation fairies had already picked up a faint, suppressed signature further inland. Following the fairies' findings, it didn't take them long to find an abyssal ship, Aircraft Carrier Water Demon, resting on a branch of a fruit-bearing tree—a tree Inazuma got acquainted with recently. "A-Ah! Mangoes!"

She looked at her with half-closed eyes. "Oh, you want some?"

"Y-Yes!" The abyssal carrier plucked the nearest bunch of mangoes within her reach and tossed it below. Inazuma nearly stumbled as she caught the bunch. "T-Thank you very much!"

The commander scoffed. "You sure know your priorities."

"W-Well, she looks friendly, so…"

He stepped closer to the tree. "Lucy, we have the Navy on our tail right now. They might catch up to us soon, so we should get going."

"I feel a bit groggy—I dunno, gimme five minutes. Or maybe I'll just crush them when they get here—much easier that way."

He sighed. "Just take your nap during the trip."

"Oh, right." She squinted through the fog. "Are the seats comfy?"

"Yes, hurry and get down already."

"I'll take your word for it." She suddenly hung upside down, arms spread. "I am a roosting bat, watching in the fog's darkness, spreading my wings to fly."

"You'll fall."

And she did, landing in the bushes below. "Oof—I'm okay."

"Is she the backup you're talkin' about?" Ryuujou asked. "Are ya sure about this?"

"Yeah," he replied. "She's a match for you, I might add."

"Oho? I hafta see her in action for that."

"We still have two more waiting for us at the rendezvous point. We have to get there fast, preferably before sunset."

"A night op, then? I'm gettin' pumped now."

"Y-You're not nervous?" Inazuma asked, glancing at the commander. "I wish he'd tell us everything off the bat."

"Guessin' is part of the fun too. Keeps you on the edge all the time, y'know?"

"I'm quite excited just thinking about who they are," Chikuma said.

Ryuujou flashed two equipment cards. "Wanna take a bet?"

"I'll pass."

"Tsk, you're no fun."

With a new ally in tow, they walked back to the shore. Inazuma looked up and noticed two reconnaissance planes in the sky heading south. "A-Are they still trying to find us?" she asked.

The commander stretched his arms up, looking composed as usual. "With the fog blanketing this sea sector, I doubt that they'll be able to notice us from that altitude."

"T-Then how come we can see them so clearly from here?"

"Right, you guys haven't travelled this far from the first cluster chain. The fog that you see in these parts is actually caused by the miasma clusters scattered throughout Caffelatte's southern region."

"The fog's leaking out of the clusters?" Hatsuyuki said.

He nodded. "In certain parts of the year, yes."

"U-Um," Inazuma said, "that didn't explain anything."

The abyssal demon chuckled. "Hate to interrupt your little trivia lesson, but one of my scouts reported that Reizel and the others ran into some Navy fleet girls. They sure walked into this one."

"What are those Navy gals doin' all the way here?" Ryuujou crossed her arms. "Aren't they supposed ta sweep the perimeter around the island like yesterday?"

Inazuma's eyes suddenly widened at the realization. "W-We got to save them!" she said.

"What's wrong?" Hatsuyuki asked.

"Y-Yesterday, I overheard that a fleet was dispatched outside the island's waters. It must've been them!"

"And how's that our problem?" he asked. "They can take care of—"

"You don't know that!" She gestured at Maricelle. "And we know how powerful your Abyssal friends are!"

The abyssal destroyer nodded. "Flattering me won't get you anywhere, but you know your place at least. That's a start."

"Yeah," Ryuujou whispered, "keep tellin' yourself that."

"Did you just say something?"

"Those Navy girls are gonna die. Horribly," Lucy said, earning an annoyed look from the commander. "Well, especially Reizel—she dismembers and eats little destroyers for breakfast."

"Too much information, Luceila," he said.

She yawned. "Yep, they're pretty much done for—a waste of time and energy worrying about it. Makes me wanna crawl into a corner and sleep everything off."

Inazuma's heart paced even faster. "I-If you don't want to help, fine—I'll help them myself!"

"We've been here before." He grabbed her arm before she could take another step. "Are you seriously going to pull something stupid this time too?"

"It's more than just my duty as a fleet girl, remember?" She looked at him in the eyes. "You always tell me to follow the path I could call my own—that's what I've been doing all this time! I want to keep that promise, even if it costs my life!"

He looked down, closing his eyes. "I know."

"T-Then… you'll help them?"

"Wait, why are you bending down to her?" Maricelle asked. "You're the authority here."

His grip slackened until he released Inazuma's arm. "Make it quick." She turned to the abyssal destroyer. "We just need to make sure they're safe, and then we'll be on our way."

"S-Seriously? Ugh, as if babysitting Marvie wasn't enough!"

"That's an order, Maricelle." He looked at the rest. "Any other objections?"

"You're the boss," Ryuujou said as she summoned her armaments. Chikuma and Hatsuyuki did the same. "Give us the word."

* * *

"Aster?"

"Adjust your course to _two niner zero_."

"Two nine zero—copy."

"I'm detecting multiple signatures, both surface and airborne units, in that sector. Be careful out there."

On their way to the conflict zone, Inazuma was hoping that the Navy fleet could hold out for a bit longer, but the distress calls she was receiving told her how hopeless their situation was for everybody out there.

Towering gushes and smoke trails could be seen over the horizon as they drew closer, but before they could enter visual range, the battle's climax seemed to have ended abruptly. Inazuma grimaced as she felt one particular mag-ion signature receding at an alarming rate. And soon enough, it was overshadowed by a much greater power.

"Aerial contacts at ten o'clock," Chikuma said, readying her guns.

A violent blaze of mag-ions exploded out of Ryuujou's frame as the carrier unfolded her massive scroll. With another gesture of her hand, paper charms materialized over the scroll. Almost instantly, the charms burst into bluish-purple flames and transformed into fighter planes. "Go! Turn 'em to scraps!"

Zuihou drew her bow and aimed at the sky. "Don't disappoint the Commander! Good luck!"

The planes roared as they took off and climbed altitude, intercepting the abyssal planes with a shower of lead. The girls added their own flurry of shells to the misty sky, and the enemy squadron scattered and disengaged out of their course. The aircraft carriers launched another set of planes to engage another squadron circling from their starboard side.

"Be advised," Aster said. "I have confirmed the presence of three surface ships—two of them are high-ranking abyssal ships."

"O-Only three of them?" Chikuma said.

Luceila's voice was heard next. "I warned you guys, so I don't want any of you blaming me later."

In the midst of the bloody wreckage, one abyssal ship, clad in a full-length cloak, was holding a fleet girl by the neck. She didn't make any movement as she waited for Inazuma and the others to arrive. The other three fleet girls, battered and weary, could only watch them at a distance.

On their far left, two abyssal ships—Destroyer Water Demon and a Chi-class torpedo cruiser—were sitting on a capsized Navy boat. The abyssal destroyer stood up and saluted at their direction. Maricelle returned the gesture by waving both hands over her head.

Inazuma skidded to a stop. "P-Please, hear us out for a bit!"

The cloak-wearing abyssal girl gave her a glance. "What is it this time, Yuu?" she asked. "Lucy can do the job in her sleep, so I can only guess that you need something else from me."

"Not exactly," the commander said. "But just to make this quick, can you let those girls off the hook?"

"No can do—can you believe these pitiful girls had the gall to ambush us out of nowhere?"

He sighed. "What did you expect them to do?"

"My point is, they came in here looking for a fight, and we simply obliged and smacked their smug faces before they even knew what hit 'em." She paused, rubbing the back of her head. The aircraft carrier in her grip began to cough out blood once more. "I know that rubbish can have its uses too, but what do you need them for anyway?"

"Ask the girl in front of you."

Inazuma shivered as the abyssal girl looked into her eyes. "U-Um, Miss Reizel… please let her go."

"So," the abyssal girl cocked her head to the side, "you're his secretary I've been hearing about, huh? Nice ta meetcha."

"R-Reinforcements?" Kaga's widened as she turned her head. "N-No—you're those girls with the Liberator."

"Aww… she can still speak." Chuckling, she squeezed the carrier's cheeks with her free hand. "And I was so sure I crushed your ribcage to splinters with that punch earlier. I'm impressed—at least you've proven yourself less flimsy than your cardboard excuse of a flight deck. That's something, right?"

A sudden burst of energy exploded out of Kaga. "D-Don't you dare look down on me!"

She rammed a fist into Reizel's stomach and followed up with a high kick, sending her enemy skidding through the waves. As Kaga sprung towards the flailing abyssal ship, the two Navy destroyers was about to pursue as well, but they were told off by Mutsu.

The battleship glanced at the abyssal ships watching the spectacle before them. "You two—get back to Orion," she said. "We've already lost this battle."

"Leaving you behind is not an option," the destroyer Verniy said.

Michishio nodded. "We're as good as dead anyway. Might as well go all the way and kick these bitches in the teeth."

As Reizel regained her bearings, Kaga launched herself in the air and aimed her heel on the enemy's head. However, the abyssal ship simply lunged to her right and avoided the blow. Fuming, she caught up with her again and threw another punch. "A monster like you… shouldn't even have the right to exist!"

Reizel leaned her head as she caught Kaga's fist with her hand. "Sloppy!"

"H-How?"

"It sure sucks when your plan falls flat on your face like that." She slapped the hand away and crossed her arms. "A pity that you haven't learned anything about the distant past—just like then, your overconfidence shall be your downfall."

"Past?" Kaga said as she hopped backwards. "What are you talking about?"

A smile crept across her face. "Oh, was I being so dramatic? Don't give it too much thought—as if I actually expect you to remember."

"I've heard enough of your voice." Kaga kicked the water once more as she lunged towards the abyssal girl. "I will end you right here."

Reizel dodged a wild swing, but it left her open for the carrier to plunge a metallic arrow into her waist. She staggered backwards as her opponent was about to stab her with another bolt, but she quickly recovered and sneaked a punch into her stomach, catching her off guard.

"If there was one thing you Navy dogs are good at, it's barking out hollow threats!" She twisted the carrier's arm and jammed an elbow against it. "Oh man, don't you just _love_ the sound of that? Anything else to say now that I've broken both your arm and your pride?"

"No more!" Inazuma shouted. "Please!"

"Sorry, munchkin. I gotta give them the spanking of a lifetime, starting from this hunter here."

"B-But what would that accomplish?"

"Nothing. Just pure plain fun, is all." She grabbed the carrier's ponytail, pulling her from the water's surface. "Hey, if we flip the situation now, do you think these girls would even give us the slightest iota of mercy to even consider about… I dunno, sparing us?"

Inazuma winced as she shook her head. "T-That doesn't justify anything!"

"Just speaking out my thoughts here, but I can't believe he picked an ignorant, delirious preacher for a secretary."

"You can say that again," Maricelle said.

"Or does he actually have a thing for—"

A speeding blur closed in behind the abyssal ship. In the next couple of seconds, Inazuma was thrown away as a surge of crackling energy engulfed the surroundings. Two consecutive explosions were heard afterwards. "Get her out of here!" Mutsu shouted.

When Inazuma opened her eyes, the two Navy destroyers were already blasting away through the blistering haze. The pair took a sharp turn around the flames and picked up the aircraft carrier still writhing in pain.

Reizel burst out of the smoke to chase after them, but Mutsu intercepted her with a right hook. The force of the blow sent her skidding back to the receding blaze. The battleship used this chance to shoot her down with her remaining turret. Her shells hit their mark, enveloping the abyssal girl in a shattering explosion.

Maricelle let out a hearty laugh. "Looks like the mighty Reizel is in a pinch! Want me to jump in?"

Another silhouette, almost as large as her body, appeared beside her. As the smoke subsided, the shadowy mass hovering next to her was actually an armored tail, which was scorched and damaged from the cannon blasts.

Inazuma's gasped. _S-She's a Re-class battleship?!_

"Hold it, kiddo—just between us big girls here." Grunting in pain, Reizel plucked out the arrow in her waist. The pinkish hue in her eyes darkened to a bright crimson. "I'm actually gonna enjoy killing them now."

Mutsu gritted her teeth as she assumed her battle stance, shifting a foot forward. "Prepare yourself!" She launched herself towards Reizel, but the abyssal battleship simply skirted around her, dodging the blow. She quickly shifted course and fired her turret once more. "Looks like I got you running now!"

With a quick tap of her foot, Reizel bounced to her left and released her tattered cloak. The strong breeze slammed the garment towards Mutsu, and the minute distraction allowed the abyssal battleship to move in for the kill.

"Checkmate." She plunged her hand through Mutsu's chest. "I'm prepared alright." Her tail smacked the fleet girl before speeding away. "Do these girls honestly think they can get away from me?"

Inazuma chased after them. "Enough! They can't fight back anymore!"

The carriers' remaining planes swooped in and fired their guns, but Reizel brought her massive tail up and retaliated with its autocannons. Her shots were swift and accurate, taking out the planes in quick succession. "I sure do love me some game of tag! I'll tear their limbs with my teeth when I catch them!"

"What do I need to do to make you stop?!"

She laughed. "Make me!"

"Inazuma!" Hatsuyuki called out behind her. "Make a curve to the left!"

And when she did, Hatsuyuki's drones attached themselves on her core structure, launching her forward with their thrusters. Inazuma clenched her teeth and deployed her shield's mag-ion field. "So be it!"

"That's cute. Are you gonna talk me to death about it or wha—"

She rocketed towards the abyssal battleship, and the resulting collision produced a crackling thunderclap, causing the waves to burst outwards. She was thrown away by the golden mag-ion blast, bouncing a few times before finally losing momentum.

She could suddenly hear Reizel chuckling over the comms. "If you wanted to fight me all along, why didn't you say so?"

"We didn't come here to fight! We just want to—"

Inazuma cut herself short as she sensed four high-speed signatures beneath the waterline. She directed all her energy on her limbs and lunged out of the torpedo spread. However, the torpedoes detonated, causing her to lose visual of the battleship. She readied her guns as she strained her senses through the deluge, but it had been a fatal mistake on her part:

"Hey, where are you looking? I'm here!"

As she turned around, the battleship was already within arm's reach. Inazuma shut her eyes and braced herself for the imminent pain, but it never came. She heard a pained grunt, and the next thing she knew, Ryuujou was already before her, stretching out an arm. "Ya don't mind if I join the fun, right?"

Reizel, standing a few feet from them, rubbed the back of her head and smiled. "Am I really that popular or what? I'm so touched!"

"What?! It's yer fault that we hafta come here in the first place!"

"Shove all your moaning down the ocean floor and—" She turned to the shrinking forms of the Navy fleet girls in the distance. "Ah… they're getting away."

"Already had your fill?" the commander asked. "I need them back here."

"But we're just getting started!"

A voice came through the open channel:

"You say that, but you're already in no condition to fight."

"You too, _Suzuki_?"

"Did you not see that Kaga was just stalling for time? Those arrows of hers are infused with potent depressants—small dosages won't do anything to our bodies, but you just took everything she threw at you without care."

"And you're telling me this because…?"

"They could've killed you, given enough time."

The color in her eyes lost intensity as she let herself fall on her back. "Charming."

"Goin' to give up just like that?" Ryuujou asked, looking annoyed. "Wait, are we even still bargainin' here or somethin'? Ain't this a big waste of time?"

"Well," the commander said, "you know who to blame for that."

Inazuma resisted the urge to grumble over the comms. "You barely even tried convincing her," she said. "And why am I hearing gunfire over there?"

"A Navy fleet found us. Lucy's keeping them at bay, but you guys better hurry back."


	11. Rasterized Dreams

**10—Rasterized Dreams**

* * *

Her anticipation grew as they drew closer to the island.

Everything else in this world, however, didn't seem to share her optimism.

Menacing grey clouds had blanketed the sky.

The chilly breeze had begun to pick up, and the steadily growing waves rocked the ship.

Occasional streaks of lightning crawled through the gloom above them.

_A storm?_

It seemed that the fleet had lucked out yet again.

The forbidding atmosphere of their destination further dampened her already deflated mood.

But she had to push on regardless.

Her eyes squinted, gazing at the port.

Murky contours of small ships were docked or moored in the area.

Dreary. Lifeless. Surreal.

Twiddling her fingers, she watched her ship maneuver towards an unoccupied pier.

As the warship finally settled, she stepped out to the main deck together with the apparition.

She took a whiff of the sea and stretched her arms in the air.

_This is it._

Whatever was in store for her on this island might finally give her the answers she seeks.

She walked down the platform and onto the dock where four faceless individuals were waiting.

Their translucent bodies constantly flickered, just like her ghostly companion.

They were wearing raincoats, but she easily recognized the uniforms of the two girls before her.

Her partner ran towards them and hugged the girl on the left.

_Is… Is that me?_

As her phantom copy noticed her, it broke free from the hug and approached her cautiously.

Her heart almost jumped as the figure reached out for her body and took her in a tight embrace.

Suddenly, a splitting headache overwhelmed her senses.

It felt like it was sapping her strength as the throbbing continued.

She collapsed on her knees, closing her eyes shut.

The excruciating pain peaked, and then it subsided just as quickly as it happened.

When she reopened her eyes, her body was enveloped in a warm subtle light.

Saffron orbs leaked out of her frame, dancing in the air like curious fireflies.

As she looked up, the only boy in the group leaned down and extended his hand.

She glanced left and right, but she couldn't find any trace of her copy.

_Where did she go?_

Before she could take his hand, the wailing of sirens broke out in the distance.

She turned her head to the sea and saw a swarm of aircraft heading towards the island.

Whistling shells rained from the sky, and everything around her descended into chaos.

* * *

"Can you believe it? I literally punched a hole in her chest and she still managed to sail away like that? I should've torn her heart out when I got the chance! Hey, are you even listening?"

"Y-Yes..."

Reizel slapped Inazuma's back. "But I gotta give it to you. Most of the girls I've come across would piss their pants when they see me sailin' around here." She rubbed her cheeks against the destroyer's. "But you're different—inside that bundle of cutesy mushy muffin that you are, no one would know that there's a trooper tucked in there until they take their first nibble."

"Ermm… you're not hungry, are you?"

"A bit. Happens after I work out a sweat and some."

"Y-You're not going to eat me, right?"

"Are you really that gullible?" Reizel snorted. "I'd rather eat kelp for the rest of my life."

"U-Um… what do you want from me then?"

"Your body." She licked her cheek and started sniffing her. "I need it."

Inazuma shivered.

She wanted to shake off the Re-class battleship clinging so tightly on her core structure, but she didn't want to cause any more trouble too. The commander was very specific about Reizel's temper and her ability to unleash it through disproportionate wanton destruction.

"Stop—uh, how should I put this—assaulting my secretary," the commander said.

To Inazuma's relief, Reizel hopped off her back. "Why do you care?" she asked, gliding along the destroyer. "They're expendable, right?"

"No."

"That's not what you told me before you joined the Peacekeepers."

"C-Commander? What does she mean by that?" Inazuma slowed down. "That we're expendable?"

Before he could answer, Reizel let out a chuckle. "What's with that face? As long as you serve them, you're expendable. If you sink today, they'll just create another to take your place."

Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared down. "Th-That's true."

"And yet, you're allowing yourself to become a mindless sheep." She slapped the destroyer's back again. "Come on—give yourself a bit of self-respect."

Almost stumbling from what she could only assume to be a friendly gesture, Inazuma frowned. "A-And how are you any different?"

Reizel placed a hand on her cheek, tapping it with her index finger. "I was thinking about dignity and stuff, but if we go to the most basic of things, this is just who we are. We could win this _war_ in a day, but it's just not worth it."

It was Ryuujou's turn to laugh. "Ain't that a badass bluff?"

The destroyer shook her head. "All these conflicts in the world caused so much suffering to everybody... why are you treating it like a game?"

"Because to us, it is," the battleship replied, pointing at her. "Like I said, we could blitz through every continent if we wanted to win. But where's the fun in that?"

"You sayin' that us fleet girls are pushovers?" Ryuujou said. "You do have a habit of spoutin' bullcrap like Sugartooth over there."

Maricelle leered at her as she chewed on an energy bar. The abyssal battleship only shook her head as she grinned. "I never mentioned that, but you guys have been going all out for such a long time now and you've only scratched the surface of our defensive lines."

"Ain't that the same thing?!"

"Don't be so hard on yourself—the difference in raw power shows, and there's nothing we can do about that."

The carrier balled her hands and gritted her teeth, but she didn't bother making another retort. Chikuma sailed beside her and tried to calm her down. "A-Are you suggesting that you Abyssals aren't interested on winning?"

"Disappointment comes one after another now, huh?" Reizel groaned. "Use that gray matter in your skull for once: what's the use of a warship without wars and conflicts?"

Ryuujou, Chikuma, and Hatsuyuki suddenly stopped moving. The rest of them followed as well.

Hatsuyuki had a pained expression on her face. "Th-They won't need us anymore?"

"The opposite, in fact," Reizel replied, smirking once more. "You'd think your human superiors would let you retire if you were to win this war. You fleet girls are killing machines—designed to mow down whole armies with one hand tied behind your back. I'd say they would be dumb not to utilize such power for their own needs."

The heavy cruiser grimaced. "What are you trying to say?"

"Wouldn't it better that you have us around? Plus, you wouldn't have to worry about pointing your gun at a former comrade—much easier to pull the trigger on something that looks alien after all."

"But things are different this time," Inazuma said. "And they've already given us as much freedom as any human has."

"Can't deny that their treatment on you became better in the recent years, but that's just a honey-sweet ruse to keep you girls in line. After all, if you treat your soldiers like shit, expect them to perform shit out in the field. Still find it funny that it took them that long to catch something as simple as that."

"B-But that's not—"

"Oh, you're just embarrassing yourself now." She gestured at Ryuujou and Chikuma. "Those two had already figured it out. Guess it's true that you're pretty damn stubborn."

Speechless, she could only stare at the ripples beneath her feet.

She had always thought stopping the hostilities between humanity and Abyssals would bring peace to the world.

But deep down, she also knew all too well that the ever-present struggle between men was unavoidable.

It was an irrefutable truth; a simple fact proven by history time after time.

Was she making a fool of herself for hopes of such a convenient conclusion?

She was just being too stubborn to accept it. Or perhaps it was more appropriate to say that she allowed herself to be blinded by her own make-believes; that she didn't want to consider the possibility of it happening and be buried in shame after holding on so much faith towards humanity.

She wanted to believe in them.

And that was why she also hated herself and her shortcomings—that she couldn't speak and stand up for the good people who had given them something more than a life full of strife and suffering.

A future that only she could decide for herself.

The battleship wore a triumphant look on her face. "Am I right, Yuu?" When he didn't give any response, the battleship waved her hand and continued sailing. "Whatever—just keep in mind that you girls are nothing without us."

Her words hung in the air, constricting Inazuma in a brief stupor. Hatsuyuki grabbed her hand and gently pulled her forward. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, sorry."

Upon reaching the island, they saw two hulking abyssal familiars on the shoreline. The ogre-like monstrosities fired alternating half salvos with their turrets, shaking the earth with each burst. The Navy fleet past the horizon responded with its own shelling, but the mag-ion field encompassing the island made the efforts ineffectual.

Reizel placed a fist on her waist. "Where's Lucy?" she asked, looking around.

"Already beat us to it," the commander replied, jutting a thumb at the VTOL aircraft parked on the shoreline. "Need to wake her up?"

"How the heck is she doin' that?" Ryuujou pointed at a few abyssal planes circling over the island. "I'm impressed that she could hold 'em off while takin' a snooze."

"Why did you come back though?" he asked Reizel.

The battleship had an elated look on her face as she dragged Inazuma with her. "She's exactly what I'm looking for. Took you long enough, but I can't complain if you already brought what I wanted all this time."

"You can't."

Reizel's lips turned upside down. "What?"

"Mica and I have been working on it. Give us more time."

"Four years isn't enough time?" A short bout of silence transpired between them. The battleship's eyes narrowed as her lips puckered. "I know that you're a man of your word or whatever, but you owe me too many favors already. I'm patient, but I'm not _that_ patient."

He kept a steady, calculating gaze on the battleship. "Why her?"

"Already with the questions, huh?" She embraced the destroyer from her waist. "Let's just say we're compatible—in more ways than you can imagine."

Inazuma shuddered. _C-Compatible? Did she mean… modernization?!_

He sighed, massaging his forehead with his fingertips. "No means no."

"So, you don't mind if I keep doing what I've been doing since forever?" She rested her chin on Inazuma's shoulder. "With this accursed body of mine, I don't really mind either—it works out in the end as I have to satisfy my bloodlust every now and then."

"W-What do you mean by that?" Inazuma asked.

"You really wanna know?" She chuckled, tapping her chest. "You see, my body's mag-ion composition and framework is unstable, constantly undergoing deterioration and decay. To compensate, I—"

"Stop," the commander said, tapping on his forearm terminal. "We'll find your cure, but we need you to do your part too—we might be able to gain more data if you just let her examine you."

"You haven't even showed me anything concrete past that malignant strain you discovered last year. Not exactly feeling that optimism right now."

"That's a no then." He hesitated for a second. "There's one person that could help, but you know that we can only work on what we currently have right now."

"Excuses like that won't get us anywhere, but what can I do about it?" She sighed. "Alright, you win. I'll wait."

He raised a clenched hand over his mouth. "But just to get this out of my head, I'm getting this strange sense of urgency coming from you in the past few months. Why's that?"

"Now that's a dumb question. Why wouldn't I want to remove my body's imperfection sooner than later?"

He didn't seem convinced. "If you wanted her that much, you could have had your way with her and be done with it."

"Well, that's because I'm not an idiot to take the risk, especially after making me wait this long. Compatibility is one thing, but there's no guarantee that it will work without a hitch."

"Fair enough, but why are you still here?"

Another explosive shell slammed the island's field. "Damnit, Yuu... that's not how you should talk to someone who's about to bring you out of this deep shithole."

"You're gonna help us?"

"Can't you tell? I'm in a good mood." She started walking towards the sea. "We'll talk again after you sort this mess out."

"That's... concerning."

"I'd say you're the one who's messed up." The battleship stopped, looking over her shoulder. "You know that buttering up Serra won't do shit in the end, right?"

He smirked. "I'm chasing down ghosts for years—maybe you're not that far from the truth."

Inazuma looked at him. _Ghosts?_

"I feel quite refreshed after that warm-up earlier." Reizel turned around, resting both hands on her waist. "You two coming with me or not?"

The Chi-class cruiser, still busy inspecting the aircraft, simply waved her hand. "I'll pass."

"How about you, Selene?"

The destroyer demon didn't move a muscle as Chikuma braided a chunk of her side ponytail. "You didn't even help me brush my hair earlier," she said. "I wish they could kick that cheeky ass of yours for once."

"Sorry, what was that?"

"Nothing. I wish you good luck."

"Remind me why are we friends again." She shrugged and bolted towards the water. "Gotta do some pest cleaning now."

Inazuma ran after Reizel. "Please don't kill them!"

"I'll spare 'em if you surrender your body to me!" The battleship laughed at Inazuma's horrified face. "Just messing with ya!"

She flashed a two-finger salute before a vicious release of energy sent a deluge of seawater around her. Inazuma was caught by the mag-ion burst, sending her rolling back to the others.

She sat up and turned towards the commander. "Don't look at me like that," he said. "You were already lucky enough she didn't assimilate you on the spot."

"W-What?" Ryuujou said. "You tellin' me she can actually do that?"

One of his eyebrows rose. "Technically, you guys can do it too."

The carrier's eyes narrowed in response. "You really oughta choose your allies carefully."

As Chikuma did the finishing touches of her handiwork, Selene finally looked up and glanced around. "Does anyone have a mirror in their person?"

The commander motioned at Hatsuyuki, who still had her equipment out. He asked her to turn around so that he could open up a small panel on the modular pack's main unit. With a few button presses, the left turret drone hovered to the destroyer's side and projected a hologram displaying the video feed of the drone's camera.

He grabbed the hovering turret and faced it towards the abyssal destroyer. "Thank you." She admired her image for a moment. "You work fast—please teach me how to do it sometime."

Chikuma smiled. "With a silky, flowing hair like yours, it would be a waste not to try out different styles. I'm curious on how you keep your hair healthy like that as well."

Selene's face darkened for a moment. "Are you implying that we Abyssals are just taking our natural beauty for granted?"

"A-Ah, I didn't mean to offend." Chikuma paused as she secured a small crescent-shaped clip at the tip of the braid. "Your hair just reminds me of Marvie."

She blinked. "What's a marvie?"

"You haven't met her yet? She's—"

"Everyone," Aster's voice dominated the open channel, "we have to get going. The Navy has dispatched another fleet in their hunting party—it won't be long before they get here as well."

"About that…" Selene watched the abyssal battleship making a beeline towards the horizon. "I thought you guys are in a hurry."

"A-Ah, I'm sorry," Chikuma said, standing up. "We got carried away there!"

"I'm just waiting for you guys to finish," the commander said.

Selene looked at the hologram for the last time. "Am I that frightening to you, Liberator?"

"Like a rock sinking into a chasm. Or drowning, really."

"Not as terrifying as the night's darkness, don't you think?" She stood up and patted the sand off her legs. "We'll keep those girls busy for you. Please do what you must."

* * *

They boarded Mica's aircraft and set a new course to their destination.

Inazuma requested the fairies to monitor the engagement between the Navy fleet girls and Reizel's party. As expected, the Abyssals were able to hold their opponents off as long as they did. They were outnumbered, but they certainly weren't outmatched—even the reinforcements suffered some parting damages, which forced them to halt their pursuit efforts and send the injured back to Orion.

And it seemed that Reizel and the others were holding back as the Navy fleet had reported no fatalities in the encounter.

An undisputed display of ferocity and tactical know-how.

While Inazuma was relieved that the battleship heeded her words, she couldn't help but feel wary about it as well. In fact, it felt more of a striking message than them acting out of mercy—a message that only reaffirmed just how powerful the Abyssals were.

Well, what else would be the reason why they were branded as humanity's sworn enemy?

In the midst of her musing, Hatsuyuki suddenly spoke:

"Commander," she hesitated for a moment, looking down, "do we have a chance of winning against them?"

"Still thinkin' about that?" Ryuujou said. "A bit of confidence and pride won't hurt ya."

"There is some truth in Reizel's words," the commander said. "The earlier years of the war were certainly bloodier, pushing us back against the wall. They've only gone until that point—they never finished us off."

"Then I'd love to hear the crappy excuse they have about it."

He shook his head. "I'd want to know myself. I'm still missing a lot of things before I can even come up with a sound theory."

Hatsuyuki took a deep breath, eyeing her terminal. "I-If that's the case, then what's the point of fighting a hopeless battle?"

"Whaddya mean?" the carrier asked. "We got no choice—it's either them or us. And as much as I hate those Navy shills, I gotta admit that they've done plenty of stuff to even the scales for us."

"T-That's what I'm worried about. We're done for if all of the Abyssals in the world decided to work together."

Inazuma stared at Luceila's sleeping form for a moment. "But… there has to be a way to prevent more fighting, right?"

"Another way?"

Her friends looked at her expectantly. She closed her eyes for a moment, organizing her thoughts. "I mean… have we ever tried everything we can to reach out to our enemies?

"Back in the training camp, our superior officers would often tell us that the Abyssals are nothing more than a horrible blight in the world's oceans, and that it's pointless to settle everything out with words. The Navy has conditioned everyone's mindset that the only option we have left is complete and utter annihilation of the enemy. Of course, that isn't true at all.

"Thanks to the commander, I've learned that Abyssals were much more than that. They're no different from us—they can smile, cry, be hurt, and care for their friends.

"If he managed to accomplish something that what was believed by many to be impossible, I think we haven't exhausted all of our options just yet.

"T-That's why we should—" Her composure began to crumble as she was now conscious of everybody staring attentively at her face. She shrunk back in her seat, hugging her knees. "P-Please don't stare like that..."

"H-How inspiring!" Zuihou said, clasping her hands over her chest. "N-Now I see why you're the Liberator's secretary!"

"Don't ya just wish that she was a member of the Joint Committee?" Ryuujou said, grinning. "Heck, I'd vote for her as Peacekeeper delegate just to get her in there."

Inazuma waved both hands in front of her. "I couldn't possibly pull that off!"

"I think you're more than qualified after hearin' that speech of yours! You can even do us a favor and smack a few of those bastards for us!" She turned to Chikuma. "Whaddya think?"

The heavy cruiser looked a bit more solemn. "I wish it were that easy," she said. "Reizel said it herself—they don't care about winning. They just want this senseless bloodshed to continue."

Inazuma paused. "It's true that the Abyssals have taken away countless of lives that we could never hope to replace, but the choice to become the better person has always been there. I will continue to fight alongside everybody else to help accomplish that."

Chikuma made a small smile. "I've already given up a long time ago, so I won't be able to share your sentiments. I'm not saying that you should do the same though." She lowered her head. "This world is a cruel place, and we need more people like you to compensate for that."

"A-Ah," Inazuma uttered, bowing down, "I didn't mean to force my thoughts on everyone. I-I'm sorry."

Ryuujou chuckled. "Be glad that runt is in the cockpit or she call you out again on about bein' preachy."

The heavy cruiser just shook her head, still smiling. "If you truly believe there's a better path that we can take right now, you should stand tall and persevere to overcome everything fate has in store for you."

"Another way, huh?" Hatsuyuki's eyes widened. "I… I have to connect to the net!"

"What for?" the commander asked.

The destroyer stood up from her seat. "N-Nothing. Just… research and stuff."

His face suggested that he didn't buy it, but he let her go nonetheless. "Alright," Zuihou said, "I'm all fired up too! Time to show everyone what I'm capable of!"

"You know," he said, "you shouldn't really say things like that."

"U-um, why?"

"All that enthusiasm's fine, but don't act like I'm giving out incentives for your performance later."

"You shouldn't tell us discouraging things either," Inazuma told him.

"What I'm saying is, do your part and support one another just this once—we'll all die here otherwise."

"Like I said, that doesn't help at all! How about giving us an inspiring speech to raise the fleet's morale instead?"

"Commander," Aster said, "we have detected two underwater signatures moving in our present course, bearing one four zero."

"It must be them." He checked his terminal and activated its receiver. "Goya, you there?"

"Oh, loud and clear! You're gonna pick us up, right?"

"Yeah, I'll notify Mica to guide you two."

"Took you guys long though. I was wondering if the Navy caught up with you."

"We just took a slight detour. Anyway, have anything unusual to report?"

"We just finished scouting the route for the second time. Check your terminal—I'll send the waypoint data now."

"Appreciate it."

A few minutes later, two fleet girl submarines emerged out of the floor hatch. "Nice ride," I-168 said as she studied the vessel's interior with her eyes. "It's kinda weird that it looks larger on the inside."

"Hmm... what's the deal with these two?" Ryuujou asked the commander. "They ain't Irregulars."

"I borrowed them from Basilica," he replied.

"Deserters, huh?"

"I know that those guys will help me without question, so I had to choose my options carefully."

I-58 nodded. "It's a bit nerve-wracking that we finally get to participate in something as large as this in a long while." She saluted as she faced the commander. "It's an honor to be able to work alongside you once more, Liberator."

The commander stood up. "Likewise," he said, walking towards the pantry. "Everyone should prep up now, just in case. We'll never know if we'll be able to sneak our way to the island perfectly."

"We're not going to wait for the others?" Chikuma said.

"That's the plan." He grabbed two rejuvenator bottles inside and handed them to the submarines. "I need to look into a few things first though."

"Like what?" Ryuujou asked.

The commander remained silent for a moment. "You'll have your answers later. I'm getting a bit impatient myself."

But to Inazuma, it only spawned more questions in her mind. Could it be related to the person he was looking for? In any case, she had to trust him for now.

With their aircraft submerged once again, they continued their cruise to the target island past nightfall. Mica launched a drone to the surface to scout the immediate area ahead of them. Its video feed was reflected on an overhead monitor beside the cockpit's access hatch, providing them an unforeseen tidbit:

"There are at least four islands in this sector," Chikuma said. "I thought we should only find one here."

"I only told you guys about the island on the north. That's their base of operations."

"T-Then we have to deal with three more bases too?" Zuihou said.

"No, they haven't expanded to the other islands just yet." He paused. "Well, except that nearest island from us. We're going in there first."

"Your plan's all over the place," Ryuujou said. "Not that I'm complainin'."

"No one asked for this, mind you."

The pair of submarines left the vessel and guided them to the island that was devoid of any human structures. They maneuvered to its cliffside and went through a narrow cavity several feet from the waterline. Exiting the passageway, they found themselves inside an underground docking bay. Inazuma and the others prepared for the worst as they emerged to the surface, but they were met with silence even when they were completely exposed in the open.

Taking a peek through the windows, Inazuma realized that the staff working there wasn't even alarmed in the slightest. The security detail, comprising of armored personnel, took notice of their arrival, but they didn't seem aware of the fact that intruders had already infiltrated the premises.

She recalled that the overall security in the sector was centered on what seemed to be their main headquarters. Whoever the people behind the base were, they must knew that their location had already been compromised and it was only a matter of time before the Navy gets there.

Still, it baffled her that they had yet to fire a single shot at them.

"Guys," Mica called out, "they want us to dock for inspection."

"What's going on?" Maricelle said. "This is supposed to be the part where they sound the alarm and fire their peashooters at us!"

"Well," Ryuujou said, "was expectin' a rowdy welcome committee to greet us, but this works too."

"Commander, are you still hiding something from us?" Inazuma asked. "Tell us!"

His eyes narrowed. "It had to be her… but what is she planning?"

"Her? Who are you talking about?"

He shook his head. "We should focus on disabling this facility's integral systems. It should give us that needed grace period before their headquarters are alerted of our presence here."

"I… I don't like this."

"There's no time to chicken out now." He turned towards the cockpit. "Mica, tell them that you need to recharge your craft's mag-ion batteries."

The aircraft hovered over an empty holding platform in the dry dock. Heavy-duty locks secured it in place while a mechanical arm attached a mag-ion charging hose into the side of the vessel. The security units walked towards the platform with guns at their side.

"Uh, they want us to come out," Mica said. "What now?"

"Not yet."

"Err… they gave me ten seconds to—"

"Don't worry, we have Marvie."

The aircraft began to tremble as repeated thuds were heard above them. They could also hear someone shouting outside, rallying the other men to take their position around the dry dock. "T-Their maintenance equipment is—!" Mica cried. "Y-Yuu, they're gonna dismantle Stork!"

The commander's composure began to waver. "Marvie? You sure are taking your time with it."

"W-Wait a minute! Is she sleeping with her eyes open?! How's that even—" The armed men began to open fire, pelting the aircraft in all directions. "Marvie, wake up!"

Luceila had gotten up from her nap. "Whaa… what's happening?" she asked. "Is Selene throwing a hissy fit again? Or was it Reizel?"

"Screw this!" Maricelle's left hand morphed into a naval gun. "Out of the way!"

Ryuujou and Chikuma tackled the abyssal destroyer down before she could make things worse for them. "Mica, open the hatch!" the commander shouted. "We can't sit here all day!"

"What? You know I can't do that without deactivating the mag-ion field!"

A sudden explosion shook the aircraft, blasting it away from the platform's holding locks. The vessel crashed on its side, which sent everyone tumbling inside the compartment. "W-What was that?" Hatsuyuki asked, cowering in between the seats.

Maricelle managed to break free from the two fleet girls and checked the control panel next to the rear hatch. Out of frustration, she clawed through the panel as if it was made out of paper. "Great, now we're stuck! Again!"

"Y-Ya idiot!" Ryuujou cried. "How do we get out now?!"

"Blame our dumb pilot! This plane's just as stupid as you too!"

"I dare ya to say that again!"

"I regret giving you too much credit—you fleet girls are all hopeless morons!"

Ryuujou lunged at Maricelle, and the two of them swung heavy fists at each other. "Good grief!" Chikuma tried to hold the carrier off. "We don't have time for any of this!"

"Stay outta this!" Ryuujou pushed the cruiser away, only to receive a vicious elbow from the destroyer afterwards. "I'll make it quick and tear the skin off that smug face of hers!"

Inazuma decided to intervene, but she was knocked away by a backhanded blow from the abyssal princess. The frenetic situation was getting the best of her, so she placed all her hopes on the commander to quell the heated tension between the unrelenting carrier and destroyer.

However, he just stood there, watching the girls slug it out while spouting insults at each other. Inazuma called out to him, but her words—along with the desperate cries of Mica and Chikuma—didn't seem to reach him. His inaction only made her more frightened as it could only grow worse from there.

The drumming of bullets against the mag-ion field gradually weakened as panicked screams surfaced through the erratic burst of fire. "That didn't end like it should, huh?" I-58 said. "We'll draw their fire—get out before they squish you in there!"

"Wish you jumped in a little sooner," the commander said.

"I-I thought you guys had it."

"Definitely not."

He shut his eyes for a moment and slammed the wall with the back of his fist. The lights within the vessel flickered as the hatch suddenly disengaged from its locks. He walked up to the hatch and followed up with a kick to restart its lowering mechanism. Without another word, he slipped through the widening gap and disappeared from sight. "C-Commander?!" Inazuma called out. "Wait!"

Hearing more gunfire, the rest of them quickly crawled out of the aircraft to chase after him. To their relief, the remaining occupants of the docking bay started to retreat back inside the base. The parting shots of the enemies only proved as a minor annoyance, especially to Maricelle who retaliated just as quick. Her cannon blast easily tore through the heavy-duty gate, leaving a sizeable hole for them to use later.

"You guys missed out on the fun," I-168 said, twirling a combat pole.

I-58 had her lips pursed as she gazed at the unconscious bodies scattered around them. "I wouldn't exactly call this fun."

"H-Hey, shouldn't you be more careful?" Ryuujou called out to the commander. "What if ya got shot again?!"

He glanced at her with an indifferent look on his face. "I had better chances out here, don't you think?"

She shot a glare at Maricelle. "Sorry, just couldn't hold myself there."

"Is there a problem?" I-58 asked, staring at the group.

Inazuma and the others exchanged embarrassed looks as they followed the commander inside an enclosure with various computers and monitoring instruments. "Marvie, can you free up the stasis in this area?" he asked. "I need to access a terminal."

"Stasis?" Hatsuyuki said.

"I had her infiltrate the island's network, including some electronic systems happened to be connected in it."

"S-She can do that?"

"She's still getting used to it," he raised his right hand, emanating flecks of silver light, "and it's my fault for misjudging her abilities. Perhaps it was too much load for her to maintain a stasis field like this."

"I see," Mica said. "If I heard that right, she'll make our data gathering easier since she's already hardwired to their system."

"Not really. She doesn't know how to manipulate data other than sending them to the shredder. Like I said, she could use a lot of practice."

"I guess that would be too convenient. If there's anything that we know most about Abyssals, it's their ability to cause widespread destruction."

"In any case, her usual gimmick will compromise us sooner than simply barring all communication links to their main base."

I-168 retracted her pole to a more compact size. "Won't be long before their leaders figure it out then," she said. "What's our next game plan?"

He paused for a while before shaking his head. "Data center and the laboratory… we'll split into two teams to cover more ground."

Upon receiving a notification from her fairy crew, Inazuma checked her terminal to see an interactive map. She quickly realized that she was looking at the layout of the docking bay they were currently at. A quick pinch on the screen and the map zoomed outwards, giving her a bird's eye view of the island.

The underground installation was surprisingly expansive, spanning multiple floors and facilities. Their target areas were conveniently marked as well: the data center was located further to the north, while the research building was a separate structure located to their east.

"You look worried," Maricelle said. "There're only humans in here, right? Those pests won't be a problem at all."

"That's what they want you to think." He looked at Zuihou. "Can you leave this one to us?"

"E-Eh?" The look of disbelief on the carrier's face was brief, but the damage was already apparent in her dim eyes. "I… I can't join you guys?"

"I was thinking that you should stay here and watch Mica for us."

Zuihou looked down for a second. "Y-Yes, being the rear guard is fine too," she said. "You can count on me!"

I-58 glanced at the gate. "Alright, we'll take the laboratory. Sounds good, Imuya?"

"I don't mind, but who's gonna go with us?" I-168 replied.

Chikuma pulled Ryuujou along with her as she approached the submarines. "H-Hey," the carrier said, "what's gotten into you?"

"Joining them is out of the question if you can't even control your temper."

"W-Why am I the only one gettin' chewed out here? That bitch's always startin' trouble for us!"

The heavy cruiser rubbed her forehead. "See? This arrangement should do."

"All settled then?" I-168 asked, deploying her combat pole once more. When everyone gave her a collective nod, she returned the gesture with a grin. "Best of luck, everyone!"

* * *

They walked through the gate and went their separate ways upon reaching a storage hub for shipments and the like. Inazuma's group took the western stairwell to access the administrative wing and the staff quarters. The base's security had set up chokepoints along their way, but they only served as set pieces for Maricelle to destroy in a furious blaze. "Wow," the abyssal destroyer said, "do these fools actually think they stand a chance against us?"

The commander held up his hand, and the rest of them stopped before a hallway intersection. "Those weapons they're using… I need to look into it too."

"Are they… making their own versions of the Navy's prototype MAUs?" Hatsuyuki asked.

"The fact that they have them mass-produced certainly opens up a lot of implications."

"Why do you care?" Maricelle said.

"It's just odd that most of their weapons can't even put a dent on your natural field. Not saying that I know everything about anti-abyssal weaponry, but I was expecting them to be more effective than that."

"It's a waste to get so worked up about something so trivial. Save your energy for our goal."

"I know." He then signalled Inazuma to occupy the opposite corner. "And being cautious is never a bad thing."

Before she could move to her position, Inazuma heard a clang from her core's funnel. "W-What was that?" she asked, looking behind her.

"Insurance."

She set that detail aside for now as she slipped through the door on her left. She quickly scanned the room with her eyes. Relieved that the room was empty, she made her exit and rejoined the group.

Once they were convinced that their immediate surroundings were clear, they decided to push on and advance into an open hall. Silence pervaded the area as they moved through the hall's lounge area.

The commander stopped next to the circular bar next to the lounge and hopped onto the nearest stool. "Come out. I need to ask you guys a few questions."

"C-Commander?" Inazuma uttered.

He slouched a bit forward and clasped his hand. "Some guy at Orion already did a similar trick. Got a bit paranoid after that, to be honest."

Inazuma followed his gaze and noticed a blinking device under the bench just past them. _A-An impaler mine?! No, what was—_

She did a double take and let out a panicked gasp upon seeing another mine attached underneath the commander's stool. "C-Commander! D-Don't move!"

"What?" Flustered, she could only make wild gestures towards the stool. He made an exasperated face as he snatched the anti-personnel mine from the front. "This?"

"H-How did you—"

The overwhelming swirl of emotions in her chest turned for the worst as the armored soldiers quickly sealed off the hall's exits and flanked them on all sides. The commander, however, wasn't intimidated in the slightest. His piercing gaze swept the room, all the while twiddling the seemingly-defunct mine with his misty fingers.

One of the armored personnel stepped out of formation. "Hold it—we need him alive," he called out. "I'm sure the Navy would pay us a hefty sum for a high-profile fugitive like him."

His augmentation suit stood out from his peers as it was less bulky and more streamlined in most of its components. The pair of mag-ion cannon modules affixed on his back made him more threatening.

"I don't know," the commander said, sticking a small disc on the mine. "Last time I've been there, most of them seem to be so adamant on drilling a hole in my skull."

"Huh, quite a smartass, aren't we?" He made a sweeping gesture with his assault rifle. "We know enough that you can talk big just because you have those girls with you."

"Well, that much's obvious." The commander looked up and narrowed his eyes. "So, you guys are operating under the _Dusk Arbiters_, right? What's your game?"

"Know your place. That ego of yours isn't going to save you and your comrades."

His face twisted in disgust. "Tch, even here..."

"C-Commander, what should we do?" Inazuma asked.

A soldier from the back stepped behind the leader. "A-Adjutant Ferrer, the other team has located her in the upper storage deck. They're currently engaging her monstrous experiments as we speak."

"What they were thinking, accepting someone like her in our ranks?"

"Your orders?"

"To think that she's working with the Liberator all along… that woman's getting on my nerves."

"Why is everyone so quick on jumping the gun lately?" the commander said.

Ferrer gave him a stern look. "Tell them to keep her busy. We'll deal with her next soon."

Maricelle, growing impatient, aimed her cannon at the group of soldiers on her left. "I'm impressed—these humans have their backbones intact, but they sure talk a lot for their worth. Some kind of coping mechanism, maybe?"

"Put your weapon down, girl. Any more sudden movements or I'll blow his head off clean."

The commander left the stool and faced him. "Not exactly a menacing threat when the opposition is clearly packing more firepower than you."

"I told you to stay put."

"You're gonna shoot me now?" He took another step forward. "I thought you wanted me alive?"

Ferrer let loose a burst of bullets toward the bottles on a hanging rack. "Don't test me!"

He held up his hands. "Make up your mind already. Are you going to shoot me or not?"

As the rising tension was about to reach its tipping point, Inazuma happened to notice a spider-like creature creeping under the benches. Upon reaching the last row seats, it crawled up to the backrest and jumped into the face of the nearest unsuspecting soldier.

"W-What the—" The frantic screams just bought the commander enough time to launch an adhesive pin from his vambrace unit, hitting the security group's leader on the chest. The rest of them retaliated afterwards with hail of lead, forcing him to take cover behind the counters. "You had your chance—I suppose bringing in a corpse will be much less of a hassle for us!"

"Fine with me, but you guys forgot something! You can have it back!"

The mine that he had earlier was now floating above the enemy group, its front sensors facing downward. They had little time to react as it released a concentrated mag-ion burst at them, but they were still quick enough to deploy a protective field over their heads. The discharge caused a vicious outward force as it collided with the field, knocking the soldiers down to the floor.

As chaos unfolded around her, Inazuma slid under a counter so that she could enter the bar's interior. "C-Commander, are you—" She saw him clutching his bleeding leg. "C-Can you still move?"

"Y-Yeah," he replied as he continued to tap on his terminal, "just a nick anyway."

"B-But you look pale. We should call the others to—"

"I'm fine, alright? Worry about those guys shooting at us."

"A-About that," Inazuma winced as a devastating explosion shook the building's foundations, "w-what should we do?"

"Just lower the output of your shots and—" He grumbled as he stared down at his terminal's screen. "Mica, you have some explaining to do."

"Wh-What is it?"

"You're going to get me killed—the VOKS program modules in my terminal still need to be manually configured."

She let out a nervous chuckle. "I-It just slipped through my mind! Honest!"

"Don't you go 'Oops, I forgot, tee-hee!' on me."

A shrill, resonating noise suddenly erupted, drowning all the gunfire. Inazuma knew they had to pay the price for stalling for so long:

A fierce surge of mag-ions ripped through their cover and nearly struck them. As if it wasn't enough, Inazuma felt another discharge, and the explosion that followed sent them tumbling away. When the throbbing pain began to subside, she forced herself to open her eyes and search for the commander. She found some comfort that he had his personal field protecting him, but she still had to make sure.

Forcing herself to roll to her side, she found him lying just next to the bar's rubble, motionless and covered with wood splinters and other fragments. "C-Commander!"

Maricelle cleaved off the arm of the soldier restraining her and hurried to their aid, but Ferrer already had the barrel of his rifle shoved against the commander's head. "You think you can hide from me?"

"You know," the abyssal destroyer glanced at the commander, "I could kill all of you here in an instant, but he specifically told me to hold back. I don't want to disappoint him too much, so let me tell you something good: if you order your men to stand down and leave this base right now, I won't mind sparing everyone this one time."

The man grinned, waving his free hand. "Honestly, I do wonder how you made some of those monsters like her so docile and obedient to you. Is there some kind of brainwashing involved to trick them into thinking that you are their master? Loyal pets do serve their purpose blindly, and we can never have enough of—"

A loud bang pierced the air and a soldier on her left slumped to the floor. "I take it back—you fools are actually suicidal, huh?" She pointed her gun at their leader. "Fine with me, I'll just slaughter every last one of you maggots here and now."

"That's how it's going to be then? I'll dispose of your precious… master first." He made a hesitant look on his forearm terminal. "And that treacherous woman will be dealt with afterwards."

"Just do it already." Maricelle covered her mouth with her free hand as she yawned. "Do you actually think you're scaring anyone with those half-assed threats of yours?"

Letting out a muffled growl, the man shifted his stance as he put a finger on the rifle's trigger. "I had enough of your—" His face twisted into a mix of shock and disbelief. "Wh-What is this?! I… I can't move!"

She smiled. "Underestimating us will cost you your head."

"S-Shoot them! Shoot them now!"

The commander quickly propped his body up with an arm and slid a steel disc to the group behind their leader. Before the soldiers could respond in any way, the disc projected a circular mag-ion field that threw them upwards and pinned them to the ceiling. Those who weren't caught in it fired at him, but he deployed a protective field with his hand. The projectiles instantly stopped upon contact with the field, losing all their energy.

"Huh, is this supposed to happen?" he asked.

Inazuma quickly stood up and activated her shield's field projector, protecting the commander's blindside. "I-I thought you were unconscious. I got too worried there."

He flushed all the suspended bullets in his field, only to catch more as they moved to a concrete post. "The update sure took its sweet time, but I'm ready now."

"So, how did I do?" Maricelle asked through the comm link.

"Perfect," he replied. "I've gotten rusty using this, so let me have a bit of practice."

"I'll give you some space then! Try to keep up!"

Maricelle's cover fire proved to be too effective—her high-explosive shots forced the enemies to scatter and flee without any chance of retaliating. Using her shoulder-mounted turret, she picked out her disoriented targets one by one, and those foolish enough to sneak up to her were met with a much harsher punishment. Usually dismembered limbs.

Not too far from Maricelle, Hatsuyuki was unleashing a flurry of shells with her MAU's autocannons. Unlike the ruthless destroyer though, she was merely pressuring the enemies to retreat out of the hall. Inazuma and the rest soon followed her approach, and they were able to demoralize and drive them off, save for those who were already incapacitated or disabled by the commander's field traps.

"C-Commander, nine o'clock!" Hatsuyuki shouted.

He was able to deploy his shield in time, but the blast sent him flying back.

"We're not finished yet, Liberator!"

Now wearing his helmet's visor, Ferrer shot at them in quick succession. "This guy's just begging to die, isn't he?" Maricelle said, crawling behind a broken display table.

"W-What are you going to do?" Inazuma asked, following her.

"I'll give him what he wants—I'll slit his throat since he's already getting annoying."

"No, you can't do that!"

"Say that to the pile of meat sitting beside you." Inazuma didn't want to look as she could already pick out the pungent smell of flesh nearby, so she snatched the abyssal princess' forearm before she could get away. "I'll rip your arm off! Unhand me this insta—"

A resounding crash rattled the hall, causing their struggle to stop for a moment. Inazuma didn't hear any more cannon fire as well. "Guys," Hatsuyuki called out through the comm link, "it's done."

Ferrer had his back against the wall, resisting the invisible force restraining him. He kicked the wall and he managed to break free, but he was immediately thrown back when the commander pointed his hand at him.

Maricelle grumbled as she yanked Inazuma's arm away and left without another word. "W-What just happened?" Inazuma asked.

"Do you only have cheap tricks in your repertoire?" Ferrer asked the commander. "Now I see that you've only earned your reputation out of cowardice."

"Well, you're not wrong. That's exactly why I'm still alive, you know?"

"W-What?"

"You should learn to fear cowards and weaklings. They tend to be meticulous on designing a course of action to get what they want, more so when pushed into a corner. Since they're afraid, they'll overcompensate—a footnote that most people often ignore or dismiss."

"Spare me the lecture. Finish me already."

He brought his hand to the face of the adjutant. "No can do. I'm only here for answers, and I'm sure you'll be able to provide a few for me."

Ferrer grunted. "What, are you telling me that you can read minds too?"

"Hmm, I wish I could." The commander grimaced, hesitating for a moment. "Hold still."

The receptors in his hand emitted a faint, silver light as the augmentation suit of the adjutant began to produce clicking sounds. The moment he touched his helmet, the suit's components instantly broke off and fell to the ground. Inazuma was left speechless as the clanging noises from the armor pieces reverberated throughout the hall.

Three cards suddenly materialized in front of the commander. "And here they are," he said, snatching the floating cards. "Looks like you guys have been busy to make this much progress."

Ferrer collapsed to his knees. "Wh-What did you just do?"

"Like I said before, I'm just looking for answers."

"Those are C2 modules," Hatsuyuki said. "H-How come he can use it?"

"Wow," Mica said, "did I hear that right? They must be using a pretty beefy battery to power it up! Check his suit!"

He looked down at the clutter of steel before him, shifting a few pieces with his foot. "It looks fancier, but it's still a Class 3 suit." He separated one card with his other hand. "The power source must be inside the auxiliary pack module."

"Hey," Maricelle said, "are you guys seriously more interested in those junk than those huge signature readings that came up just now?"

Inazuma recalled some energy spikes in the further areas of the base, but she was too occupied to analyze it in detail. "Signature readings?" she asked.

Her face froze for a moment before twisting it into a look of utter disbelief. "Your incompetence is just too—"

"Miss Maricelle," Aster said, "we can confirm that as well. However, they seem to be masking their signatures for us to identify them properly. We're trying our best to get around it."

Inazuma closed her eyes and strained her senses, reaching out to the furthest areas of the installation. It took her several seconds to get a lock on the two unassuming signatures beyond them, but what stood out the most was a familiar feeling that resonated with her heart somehow.

Sorrow. Guilt. Regret.

Emotions that seemed to have surface on their own as she held onto her thoughts like an iron grip.

She concentrated hard in her second sweep of the base, but those were the only things she could pick out with her radar. "I-Is it Akatsuki and Murakumo?!"

"Stop being ridiculous and get your head sorted out," the abyssal princess replied. "Even a destroyer like me can't produce enormous amounts of ambient mag-ions like that."

"They mentioned something about fighting some experiments," Hatsuyuki said. "C-Could it be… ?"

The commander's face darkened, looking at Ferrer. "What's going on in there?"

"Why are you asking me? Shouldn't you know better since you're friends with that woman?"

"Hardly. She turned her back on us when we needed her the most."

The adjutant paused for a bit. "She already killed all of my men there. I have nothing else to say to you."

The commander snapped his fingers, and the soldiers stuck in the ceiling suddenly fell down. "We've already spilled a lot of blood in this hall alone. I suggest leaving this place fast before the cavalry gets here." One soldier levelled his rifle at him, but the commander pointed to his left, flinging the weapon out of the enemy's grasp. "But if you really wish to continue this, then go ahead. Mari already demonstrated that some of us here aren't as merciful as I am."

Taken aback, the other soldiers stood down and looked at the adjutant. "S-Sir, what now?" one of them asked.

Ferrer, now crouching against the wall, looked up and closed his eyes. "They already had us by the neck. What do you expect me to do?"

Inazuma sighed. They wouldn't have to worry about fighting any more soldiers in their search, but they couldn't afford to be complacent just yet. The commander announced that there would a slight change of plans as he wanted to investigate the sources of those mag-ion signatures. The lack of movement from the signatures only meant that the people behind it were expecting some company.

She already had a faint idea of the things that might transpire later, but all the brain-churning she did on their way there was making her more uneasy and exhausted.

* * *

They took a detour through the staff quarters to reach the gate leading to the cargo bay. The commander stepped in front of a computer panel on the wall and operated it. "Marvie, try opening this gate."

As they waited for the gate to open, they could suddenly hear a faint yet piercing noise in the distance. "Sirens?" Hatsuyuki said. "They're not from this island though."

"Looks like they're finally here," he said.

"Miss Minako and the others... ? But how did the Arbiters know about our plan?"

"They already knew I would tip the location of their bases when we set off to Orion more than a week ago."

"I see… so that's why we went ahead first. Still, they should've found out that we left Orion earlier. Did we get lucky?"

Maricelle turned to the black-haired destroyer. "You knew those guys too, huh?" she said. "Never heard of them, to be honest."

Hatsuyuki put a hand on her chin. "The Freedom Arbiters... was an infamous NGO that exposed different anomalies and scandals in the Naval Domain following the events of Midsummer Exodus. The group was considered one of the most important driving forces in the Navy's reformation campaign in the past decade."

"That didn't explain why they can operate bases like this one and have their own private military fo—" Her eyes narrowed as she looked upwards. "Okay, you guys felt that, right?"

Inazuma nodded. Any strong signature reading was impossible to miss after all.

"We are detecting multiple mag-ion detonations from within the Arbiter's headquarters," Aster said. "Initial readings suggest that an abyssal ship is behind the ruckus there."

"Commander, is it one of our allies?" the secretary asked.

"No, I have nothing to do with it."

"Works for us," Maricelle said. "It should keep them busy until we finish what we need to do here."

Inazuma bit her lip. The things that they had to unravel just keep piling up, and she imagined that it wouldn't slow down anytime soon.

He looked up from his terminal screen. "Marvie? Still there?"

"She's not responding," Mica said. "Try checking the panel again."

He narrowed his eyes and kicked the gate instead. The overhead lights suddenly changed from red to blue, and they heard a loud hissing sound from the gate as it began to part from the center.

"Uh, okay. That works too."

They stepped into the cargo bay bathed in moonlight and saw a woman sitting on a stack of freight containers. While clad in an oversized coat, her face's unnaturally pale skin seemed to reflect the light above as she moved her head at certain angles, which made an impression that she was an otherworldly spirit.

At the central loading platform beneath her were the unmoving bodies of the facility's security force; some of them were mutilated into piles of sloppy tissues and fluids.

She didn't seem to mind the horrid sight or smell of the corpses as she was completely absorbed typing on the holographic interface beside her. However, she wasn't completely defenseless with the presence of the suppressed signatures flanking her. As they approached the platform, two silhouettes appeared from the shadows and walked towards the platform railings.

Inazuma froze, recognizing the pair. "Th-Those are—"

The two Irregulars, wearing skin-tight suits beneath their coats, leaned on the railing. "Hello," Scylla said, "I was looking forward to meet all of you again."

"You're late, Yuu," the gray-haired woman said. "Don't tell me they actually gave you trouble even with three of those girls at your side."

"C-Commander, who is she?" Inazuma asked.

Her teal eyes darted to and fro at the group. "You didn't even tell them about me? Still careful as ever, I see." Her translucent interface disappeared as she finally stopped typing and faced them. "It can't be helped—I shall provide the answers for him. I'm Emery, former Navy researcher and Yuu's ex-girlfriend."

"E-Ex-girlfriend?!"

The woman had a satisfied look on her face as she garnered quite a reaction from everyone, save from the commander himself. "This sort of prank always ticked you off back then." She put on a more serious expression as her eyes settled back on him. "I'm a bit disappointed now."

"I'm taking you home," he replied.

"Taking me to where now? The last time we met, I thought you hated me so much that you wanted to kill me?"

"I had enough time to think about how pointless that idea was. I couldn't care less about you, but Mica certainly does. Don't make this any more complicated for her."

"Is she… listening to us right now?" Her face softened for a moment. "Mica, I've told you countless times that I have to finish what I… we have started. Be a good girl for your cousin dearest and wait for me just a little longer, okay?"

"She waited long enough." His voice wavered. "Would you rather be greeted by corpses the next time you see us?"

Emery grimaced. "My love for you isn't any less than Mica's. The two of you, along with Cicely and Perilla, are my only family left. What makes you think that I'm doing this just because I feel like it?"

"All you did was to constantly feed her with false hopes and selfish lies. Could you stop treating us like idiots?"

Her eyes widened and she started chuckling. "And it's about time that you stop using Mica for the sake of this argument. If you really cared about my cousin that much, then you shouldn't have left her side too back then."

He gave her a glare. "Unlike you, I never intended to—"

"Also, you're not exactly in the position to call me out when you're just as guilty as I am."

"What are you talking about?"

"I've been observing you ever since I left the task force. Like those people you detest the most, you've only wanted to maintain the world's status quo and relish on the power you have now. At the end of the day, you're no different from them."

Everyone looked at him. "C-Commander?" Inazuma uttered. "I-Is that true?"

"Didn't you join the Peacekeepers so that you could widen your influence and bolster your forces? Tell me how that is different from what I've been doing now.

"Furthermore, those girls, the Navy, the Peacekeepers… everyone's just a means to an end, right? All for your selfish needs, you lure them in with lies to get them to do your dirty work."

He gave her a pained glance and opened his mouth, but no words came out of it. He cast his gaze downwards as if to shut himself off from everyone around him.

_"Y-You're wrong!"_

Inazuma was taken aback. That was definitely her voice, and she didn't even realize it until Emery's piercing eyes stared into hers. She mustered up all her courage and stood her ground—there was no turning back now.

"I have only known him for a short time and we have a lot of conflicting opinions on different matters, but I know that he's not the person that you think he is!

"He treats us with respect, always thinking about our well-being. I can't believe that you're referring to the same person who always tells us to follow our heart's desire."

"Again with all these assumptions," he muttered.

"I-I'm just trying to—"

"I know. Thank you."

"That's quite touching," Emery said, "though I'm a bit envious that you found another girl to supply your daily dose of pampering."

"Stop pretending that you know everything about me."

"To be fair, you started it." She gestured her hand at him. "You have your reasons, and I have mine. The least you could do for me is to respect that."

"Leaving us is one thing, but selling off your talent and creations like this is a slap to the face to everyone who worked with us in the task force."

"Ah, so you figured out that I was helping them create their own MAUs?"

He took a deep breath. "Not exactly that, but yeah. I know that it's too good to be true that they managed to reverse-engineer the tech when it's still in its infancy."

She blinked. "You must be referring to my automatons then."

"W-Wait," Maricelle said. "You made those things?!"

"I had some help. I was the head director of the project, by the way."

"Was?" Hatsuyuki said. "You don't mean…"

"They already booted me out of the project. In fact, the Arbiters were already set on pinning the blame on me when their bases in this sector get compromised." She looked at the commander. "And us meeting here isn't just a coincidence too. I'm sure you're already aware of that, right?"

His eyes widened. "Then Zuihou was…"

"Yes, she's one of my subjects."

"And you tipped me off because… ?"

"I was aware that it was only a matter of time before they sell me out, so I made my move and beat them to the punch. They were right about not trusting me, but I didn't expect it to be so soon though. I could use a bit more time."

Inazuma made repeated glances at the Irregulars. "U-Um, were you the one ordering them to capture fleet girls?"

"Yes, what about it?" She put a hand under her chin. "I only suggested that idea because we were on a tight schedule. It was a matter of economics and nothing more."

She thought that Emery's nonchalance on her own test subjects was unsettling. She shook her head and moved on. "Where are Akatsuki and Murakumo?"

"I can only assume that they're already raising hell from within the headquarters." She gave her a wink. "No one stabs me in the back and gets away with it."

"What did you do to them?" the commander asked.

"Your tone suggests that I did something atrocious. You're only entitled to complain if I actually eviscerated those girls and preserved them in a jar, which I didn't."

"Knowing you, the uneasiness that I'm feeling right now is more than justified."

"Those girls have the potential I was seeking, so it's only appropriate to bestow them all the passion and wisdom I've accrued over the years!"

His face darkened. "Emery, you didn't—"

"Since when did you become a worrywart?" She crossed her arms. "You lot came here to rescue them, right? Why are you still here?"

"S-She's right," Inazuma said, turning towards the commander. "T-They might be in trouble if they ran into the abyssal ship we've detected earlier."

He didn't give any respond or acknowledgement as he was checking something in his terminal. She didn't know if she was just imagining it, but he seemed to be getting more agitated. A few more seconds passed and he suddenly put on an astonished face.

"C-Commander?"

He shook his head. "I-It's nothing."

It was an obviously a lie and she couldn't help but feel the same way. "So, is that woman with or against us?" Maricelle asked. "That's all I want to know."

"Neither. She's a free spirit."

Unsurprisingly, Inazuma's alarm bells rang out in full intensity. She felt a bit guilty for being distrustful towards someone she barely knew, but it wouldn't hurt them to be extra careful either. Unwanted accidents would be the last thing she would ask for after all.

The abyssal princess scoffed. "As long as she doesn't get in our way, it's all good to me. If we're done here, we should head back to the docks."

"A verdict has been reached, it looks like. Take this, Yuu." Emery tossed a metallic case towards the commander. He caught it with both hands and examined its contents: two equipment cards and a small memory card. "Make sure Mica gets her hands on them."

He secured the case in a slot under his vest. "That's it?"

"I can't tell if you're being coy or not."

"There must be a good reason why you wanted to see me in person."

She smirked. "To assess how ready you are for the coming months ahead."

"Ready for what?"

"Explaining it in detail will take us until morning—you'll have your answers in that memory card I gave you." She stood up and patted her bottom. "I believe this is goodbye for now."

She turned away from the baffled commander and signalled the Irregulars towards the elevator platform. As she was about to hop off the container stack, he suddenly shot an adhesive disc at her. The second the projectile hit its mark, the gray-haired woman was immediately flung against the nearest crane beam.

Inazuma and the others readied their weapons as well, but the Irregulars didn't make a move. "Are you okay?" Scylla asked, looking up.

"I'm fine, Cicely." Emery was straight-faced as she looked at the commander. "Better explain what this is about. Perhaps you need something else from me?"

"I gave my word to Mica," he said. "I can't just let this chance slip away, can I?"

The woman grinned as she cocked her head to the side. A crackling surge of scarlet energy exploded out of her frame, rupturing the field holding her against the crane. A pinkish spherical field expanded from her body afterwards, causing the steel bar behind her to creak and give way. She hovered a few feet from the loading platform as volatile mag-ion streaks crawled throughout the storage bay, saturating the area with her energy.

Inazuma and the others were too mesmerized from the display of power that a pair of freight containers was already floating above them. She could only let out a shriek as she squeezed her eyes shut from the inevitable.

Instead of pain, she felt another surge of energy just before her. Opening her eyes, she saw the commander radiating a silvery hue. She hesitantly looked up and saw the containers, engulfed with his mag-ions, suspended just above their heads.

The erratic energy surrounding the commander swelled as he swung his right hand, launching one container towards Emery. The woman merely smiled as she crashed through the hurtling steel box. Her protective field tore through the container's entire length, spilling empty mag-ion cells and other laboratory materials across the platform.

"W-What the hell is she?" Maricelle said. "She's just human, right?"

"Yeah," the commander replied, "just with a few loose screws in her head."

Inazuma raised her eyebrow. "I-I could ask the same thing to you!"

Emery massaged her forehead with her fingertips. "I would like to avoid unnecessary confrontations whenever possible, but you're leaving me with no choice here."

Mica's voice rang out of his terminal. "S-Stop! Yuu, it's okay—let her go!"

"What?" He stretched out his hand to the hovering woman. "You've waited six years for this, and you're just going to give up now?"

"You won't be able to beat her! Her VOKS unit's parameters are drastically more powerful than the one you're using!"

"I'd like to see her try."

"J-Just listen! I don't know where she's drawing all those mag-ions, but she can easily crush you with little resistance!"

"But—"

"I… I'm really grateful, but we should focus on our mission first. I came here with you for that reason after all."

The commander paused as his shroud of white mag-ions began to dissipate. "Are you sure?"

"She isn't wrong," Emery said. "You _can't_ beat me in my own game."

He scowled as he lowered his hand. "Count yourself lucky."

"Luck has nothing to do with it." She paused, shaking her head. "It's not that I'm actively trying to avoid you. You two already knew that the circumstances in our line of work can be exhaustively cruel, and sacrifices have to be made just for the sake of progress."

"O-Of course," Mica said, her voice breaking down. "I just... miss you so much. I always wish that we could be together for the remaining time I have left, but I also understand that you have something very important to do. That's why... that's why I'll be strong for you. I'll wait for the day you'll come back to us."

She closed her eyes. "Thank you."

Suddenly, the container rocketed forward, brushing the floating woman's mag-ion sphere and crashing into the forklifts and other trucks parked by the wall. "Get your ass out of here before I change my mind," the commander said.

"I miss that side of you too." When he gave her another dirty look, Emery only chuckled as she glanced at the night sky. "Well then, since you seem to be already committed with it, take care of cute little Mica for me."

"Don't push it."

As she began to float towards the elevator platform, Mica's voice was heard once more:

"Emy! Stay safe, okay?"

Emery looked over her shoulder, smiling. "I will."


	12. Memories Awash

**11—Memories Awash  
**

* * *

The symphony of explosive shells and the roaring storm consumed their surroundings, growing each passing minute.

Countless aircraft frolicked in the sky. Their silhouettes were barely visible as they traded deadly bursts of lead at one another.

Those that weren't quick enough would meet their end in a vivid blaze. Some would draw trails of flickering flames as they plummeted to the surface.

A few planes could also be seen miscalculating their maneuvers through the gusty winds, resulting into a chain of unfortunate accidents, foe and ally alike.

Coastal batteries, missile launchers, and other land-based artillery were incessant as well; their deafening booms shook the earth with every salvo.

Docked warships and small attack crafts hurried to their positions along the coastline and released projectiles of their own.

The island's resistance was considerable, but the forces of the opposition were significantly greater.

Wave after wave, the number of enemy aircraft coming from the horizon seemed endless.

Humanoid monstrosities rip through the blockade of ships with their bulky armaments, slowly advancing to the shore.

It was a hopeless struggle, and the whistling of enemy bombs above seemed to herald their inescapable fate.

In a few seconds, the miniature warheads annihilated their targets into bits and splinters.

Her ghostly companion tackled her just before a nearby blast sent them tumbling across the road.

As the ringing in her ears began to fade, she opened her eyes and saw the apparition covered in blood and shrapnel.

It beckoned her to stand up and pointed to a path on their right.

The other two fleet girls removed their bloodstained raincoats and hoisted her incapacitated partner using their shoulders.

Meanwhile, the boy took her hand and led the group into a town built next to the shore.

The overwhelming stench of blood and flesh was unmistakable as they approached the place.

The ruined area looked deserted, but she could hear screams of agony further into the wreckage.

She could feel presences… presences consumed in fear and despair.

Sickening images appeared before her eyes, almost instantly provoking a vile reaction in her stomach.

She fended off the urge to retch and gurgle, but it was just too much to bear.

As a fleet girl, she could at least tolerate such an overbearing environment, letting her focus on her duties with little to no concessions.

It was as if the bulwark protecting her against the ocean's vicious waves had crumbled into nothingness.

Unprotected by any convenient buffer, she was now fully exposed to the elements.

She had never felt so feeble… so vulnerable before.

Her headache, accompanied by a constant sharp ringing in her ears, sent her in a disoriented hopeless state.

She could barely feel her limbs. She felt like her chest was about to burst.

The wind brushing against her drenched body made her teeth clatter.

Her teary eyes couldn't stop blinking. Only the constant discharge of a nearby artillery gun kept them from being shut off completely.

The boy looked back and tightened his grip on her hand.

Familiar, comforting warmth surged throughout her body.

The turmoil growing in her chest stirred desperation.

She clenched her hand around his.

She had to, for the sake of her slowly deteriorating mental foothold.

* * *

_ "Commander, stay sti—uh, why do you look so pale?"_

"What are you, a grade school kid?" Mica told him. "She can't patch you up properly if you keep struggling like that."

"D-Don't you have any sting-free antiseptic with you?" he asked.

"Everybody knows it's more effective when it stings because you can actually feel it working!"

Inazuma removed the neckerchief that she had tied around his leg earlier and cleaned the wound with a disinfecting solution. Afterwards, she wrapped a clean bandage around the gash. He had his eyes shut during the whole thing, so she couldn't help but smirk at him. "It's done."

"Take that face away from me. It's irritating."

Her eyebrows twitched as she widened her smile. "You're welcome."

His gaze settled at Mica for a moment. "You sure you're okay?"

"J-Jeez, she's right about you being a worrywart."

"What's next?" Maricelle asked, pointing at the overhead monitor. "I think now's a good time to crash into their base and wreck their shit up."

"Just be patient—we'll have our chance later." He activated his terminal's receiver. "How's our blindside, Goya?"

"Clear," I-58 replied. "But I'll do a sonar scan just in case."

"And you're very positive those humans we let go earlier won't give our location away?" the abyssal destroyer asked the commander once more.

"That's assuming at least one of them caught wind of our plan and followed us here. Also, Marvie accidentally fried their network towers and boosters when she put up the wide-area interference field earlier."

"You know," Mica said, "the more you continue talking about things like that, the more it feels like we're inside a ticking bomb that could explode at any moment."

"Don't jinx it. And if you actually want some peace of mind, show her the ropes."

"A-Anyway, even though we have the fairies set some channels up for us, Marvie's field could still work against us, so—"

"Trust me on this."

Inazuma pursed her lips. "I wish you could say the same to us."

"Did you say something, Inazuma?"

She directed her attention away from his scrutinizing eyes. "N-Nothing!"

They had exited the underground installation and positioned themselves in a rocky shoal on the southwest side of the island, which provided them cover from the ships heading eastward.

While surveying the situation in front of the Arbiters' headquarters, they were informed that Commodore Minako and her task force were just about to enter the sea sector. The ongoing battle started to pick up as the Abyssals were thrown into the mix, slowing their progress down by a significant margin. Unless they could take out most of the coastal batteries and other weapon platforms strategically installed within the sector, forcing their way through enemy defenses would be impossible without suffering major casualties.

As for the whereabouts of Akatsuki and Murakumo, the navigation fairies had yet to pick up their signatures in the island base. Inazuma could only hope that they didn't run into the powerful abyssal ship running amok in there.

"Be advised," Aster said. "We're detecting multiple cross signatures within their hangars."

A scout drone's video feed appeared on the monitor, showing the installation's port area. Three buildings in front of the anchorage began to open their doors, revealing a huge pile of blob and mush within them. The uncanny mounds grew taller and more bloated as they slithered out of the hangars.

Zuihou shivered and looked away from the screen. "Umibozu… I'm sure they're using fleet girls to power them too."

As the towering Umibozu and their equipment finished taking shape, they proceeded to launch aircraft from the slots of their flight decks. The Y-shaped planes climbed altitude and formed squadrons in the sky, joining the battle ahead of them.

Other abyssal ships could be seen in the anchorage as well, gearing up with never before seen armaments. It was immediately apparent that they were man-made weapons. Class 2 modules, to be exact.

"They're not pulling any punches, huh?" the abyssal destroyer said, peeking out of the aircraft's side hatch. "At least we're getting a decent challenge this time."

Hatsuyuki's eyes didn't move away from the screen as two of the massive automatons slithered on a ramp leading to the shallow parts of the port. "Commander, why are they collaborating with the Abyssals?"

"I'm thinking the other way around," he replied. "Serra will have a field day when she sees this."

"True," Luceila said, pointing at the screen as the abyssal ships escorted the pair of Umibozu towards the sea, "she keeps her flock in check unlike her fellow overseers. And once you defy her orders, she'll execute you on the spot."

"Is that why you never show your face when she's around?" Maricelle said.

"Ssh! She must never know, ever!"

"You just want to sla—" A tremendous explosion shook the aircraft, causing the lights to flicker. "Are you kidding me?"

I-168's voice blared from the commander's terminal. "They found us," she said. "We'll have to engage."

The abyssal destroyer looked at him with her shoulders raised. "Told you so."

"So much for that plan," he said, turning to Mica. "Prep up for a rowdy entrance."

"Aye," the woman replied as the right side of her helmet's interior lit up a faint blue glow. "Time to show 'em the fruits of my labor!"

As she returned back to the cockpit, Maricelle took the liberty of opening the aircraft's starboard hatch. What immediately greeted them from the sky were automaton-borne planes heading towards them. Ryuujou's frame sparked an indigo hue as her scroll materialized in her hand. "Keepin' a low profile is fine and all, but chargin' into the enemy head-on just suits us better, y'know?"

Inazuma directed her attention back to the monitor that showed the pair of submarines squaring off against a ghostly pale humanoid figure. It had a visage of a tall woman with flowing black hair that reached down to its waist.

"I-Is that an Abyssal?" Hatsuyuki asked, pointing at the glowing figure.

"Funa yurei," the commander replied.

"Ah… an automaton?"

He nodded. "It swallows a fleet girl's body and operates it as if it was its own."

"M-Mind control?"

"Only fleet girls who underwent some kind of biological conditioning process will be compatible to those automatons. I already informed Minako about that bit, so everybody else shouldn't get too overboard when—"

More explosions struck the aircraft's protective field. "Guys," I-58 said, "I think she's more interested in blowing you up than actually fighting us!"

"Mica, we have to move!" he shouted.

"Already on it! Buckle up, guys!"

Inazuma hurried to the nearest seat, but the aircraft suddenly accelerated forward, throwing her against the rear hatch. Before she could get her bearings back, someone's back slammed into her face.

"Oww… I-I'm sor—" Zuihou's eyes widened. "I-Inazuma, I'm really sorry!"

"I-It's okay," she uttered, rubbing her nose. The two helped each other up and returned to the others near the side hatch. Peeking out of the open hatch, she noticed that they had moved quite a distance south from the islands before the aircraft circled back at a much slower speed. Ryuujou's planes continued to skirt around them as well, intercepting enemy planes taking potshots at them.

Meanwhile, flashes of gunfire and massive torrents could be seen in the shoal where they were last positioned. "How about those two?" Chikuma asked. "Can they hold out against that creepy automaton?"

"I'd place my concerns on Minako's fleet," the commander replied. "They're having trouble breaking through a blockade the enemy had set up along the outermost island."

"What a pathetic excuse for soldiers if they can't keep up with us," Maricelle said.

He pointed at the missiles being launched in the sky. "We'll need to take off the heat from them. Her girls won't be able to advance otherwise."

"Wanna send some of my planes over there?" Ryuujou asked. "I just gotta find an opening and—"

"Don't risk it. They're already close to the interference field, so it'll take more time than usual to coordinate with us and update their identification systems."

Luceila crawled towards the open hatch. "Are they really that weak? Like, cheaper-than-chipboard weak?"

"Apparently, the enemy missiles are armed with C3 warheads. They don't do much damage individually, but a direct hit from a salvo could break even strong mag-ion shields."

"I don't really care. This is just taking way longer than what I've signed up for."

"Do you hate moving that much?" Maricelle said.

"How about this for a plan?" All heads turned to the abyssal carrier. "We'll use ourselves, specifically this plane, to lure their missiles away from your allies. They can't destroy what they can't hit, right?"

"Do what? That's stupid!"

He nodded. "I see. We'll do that while we find ourselves a good drop point."

"Don't agree so quickly! She must be so sleepy that she's probably spouting dumb shit again!"

"Uh, what exactly are we trying to do here?" Mica asked through the intercom.

"Fly us bit more higher!" Luceila shouted. "Make sure they have a clear visual on us!"

Inazuma looked at the commander as the aircraft started to gain altitude. "A-Are you sure about this?"

"Got a better suggestion?"

"N-No, I mean—" She held her tongue, shook her head, and sighed. "Let's just get this done."

Fog began to creep into the compartment as they gained altitude. "Twenty-nine hundred and counting!" Mica said. "What now?!"

Luceila closed her eyes as she began to radiate a crimson hue. "I am a burning wick, charming moths into my flame, purging their feeble wings."

Her mag-ions expanded outwards, engulfing the vessel in a pulsing red light. Not long afterwards, a continuous beeping sound broke out in the passenger compartment. "Well, we got their attention! Your plan better work or we're toast!"

"Jeez, you shouldn't really scream at this time of the—" Her nosed twitched as she drew her eyebrows together. "Wa-wait… hold on…"

"What?! Don't tell me you aren't ready!" A volley of missiles was launched from the enemy base, homing towards them. "Oh Goddess, I'm sorry for being such a naughty girl!"

She shut her eyes and opened her mouth as if she was about to yawn. "W-Why are you making that stupid face?!" Maricelle pressed the carrier's cheeks with her knuckles. "They're gonna blow us up if you don't—"

_"Ah… choo!"_

Her sneeze caused a reaction from the buildup of energy surrounding them, sending a mag-ion blast outwards. Upon contact with the precarious shockwave, the approaching missiles were neutralized all at once. The aircraft pitched to the left from the explosions, but they were surprisingly unharmed. However, the beeping of the vessel's warning system still persisted. "Another salvo is heading our way," Aster said. "Please intercept it as you did just now."

"H-Hey, do that again!" Ryuujou shouted. "Do that again!"

Luceila put on an annoyed face, her eyes sparked a fiery red. "Only if you guys stop screaming in my ears!"

"I wouldn't be screaming if I had Stork equipped with an AMS of some kind!" Mica shouted back.

"This is why I don't even bother raising anyone's expectations." She extended her arm at the open hatch. "Everyone's such a pain."

Another energy blast erupted from the vessel. Unlike the first one, the release of mag-ions was much more precise and contained, covering a wide radius. The incoming missiles stopped in the air as it was held by a wide telekinetic field. She raised a hand and made a circling motion with her index finger. "Kill their targeting and control systems… and flick!"

With their propulsion engines still operational, the missiles hurled themselves back to the island base. Spectacular crimson bursts lit the foggy sky as they struck the translucent field encompassing most of the island. Some of the missiles slipped through the flickering barrier and scattered themselves seconds before impact.

Devastating booms ruptured the air as the shockwaves that followed each explosion complemented the destruction across the installation. "Crap," Ryuujou said, "you surely ain't kiddin' about those missiles."

The island's defenses responded with its anti-aircraft guns, unleashing a shower of lead in their direction. It proved to be a futile effort as the projectiles disintegrated upon contact with the aircraft's protective bubble. However, their escort planes were caught in the incessant volley, and all but one squadron managed to pull through the barrage.

As if it wasn't enough, the remaining Umibozu trained its massive rear-mounted turret in their direction. The cannon barrel extended and began to radiate a purplish hue. "Oh, I think I made that one angry," Luceila said. "Bring it on, tough guy."

The energy buildup from the turret reached its peak and the discharge brought about a thunderous roar. Another boom rattled the aircraft as the mag-ion beam collided with their field. Inazuma was scared, but she was also amazed that they took a direct hit from such a powerful weapon and came out unscathed. She happened to look up at the smiling abyssal carrier, but Luceila's confident expression was short-lived when another direct hit knocked everyone off their feet.

Aster's warning came too late as the Umibozu had unleashed a full salvo at them. With their shield weakened from the first attack, the following hits caused the aircraft to lose stability as it veered off to port. In the next seconds, they found themselves spinning in the air. "Hold on!" Mica shouted.

Inazuma managed to get a hold of the nearest safety harness and she stretched her hand out to the commander. As soon as he grabbed her hand, another explosion erupted from the aircraft's tail. The aircraft spun clockwise and he was thrown out of the hatch. "C-Commander!"

She released her grip on the harness and jumped out of the aircraft as well. She would be able to survive the fall, sustaining some broken bones at worst, but certainly not the commander.

Seeing the silver flecks emanating from his modular pack, she tucked in her limbs and dived headfirst to close the distance between them. As they rushed closer to the surface, it dawned on her that she wouldn't make it in time. She closed her misty eyes and accepted their inescapable fate. "C-Commander, I'm sorry! I—"

Suddenly, the rush of wind brushing against her face vanished as an external force seized her body, only to resume falling again until she hit something solid and fell through it. She thought that she would continue falling again, but she felt her body drifting in the air instead.

"What are you doing?"

"I-I think I broke my no—" An up-close image of the commander's face greeted her the second she opened her eyes. "Hawa! You're alive?!"

Floating below her, the commander sighed with an exasperated face and looked away. "Sorry to disappoint."

"No, I didn't mean—"

They heard Mica's voice through their comm links. "Ha! If those guys think they can Stork down that easy, they've got another thing coming!" She paused, clearing her throat. "You two okay down there?"

The Frontier-class aircraft, heading towards the southern tip of the island, continued to divert the enemy's offensive while miniature planes were launched out of its portside hatch. Inazuma let out a sigh of relief as no one was actually hurt from the earlier incident.

"Yeah," he replied, "we'll catch up with you guys in a bit."

"I found a landing spot, but there are hostiles occupying the area—ACVs included."

"Obviously," Maricelle chimed in, "we have to go down there and sweep out the thrash."

"I believe we don't have much of a choice," Chikuma said. "Just give us the order and—"

"No!" Inazuma said. "We'll do it!"

The abyssal destroyer grumbled. "Oh, just shut up and—okay, what?"

"J-Just leave the soldiers to us!"

"Are you giving me orders?"

"Mari," the commander said, "you and the rest should neutralize their fixed weapon platforms once you enter the installation's field. Make every shot count—I need each and every one of you in top form in case things go south here."

"Tch, roger that."

"I still think bombing the whole place with my planes is the easiest solution to our problem," Luceila said. "Why are we doing this the hard way?"

"Ugh, keep that mouth shut and listen to him."

"Are we settled then?" Mica said. "Just tell the carriers if you're in a pinch."

The commander tapped his earpiece and looked at Inazuma, who did the same with her comm link. "Let me hear your plan."

"E-Eh… um... I just said it in the heat of the moment, but if we do this right, we won't have to kill anyone." She spread her arms out as her eyes wandered around the faint bubble of energy surrounding them, floating just a few feet above the ocean. "Your powers will be our perfect weapon!"

"So… just like what I've been doing earlier then?"

His snarky tone deflated some of her enthusiasm. "Y-Yeah, what was it called again? Telekinesis?"

"Alright," he turned around as the lights on his modular pack became more intense, "we better start moving."

"Ah… I thought we're just going to fly over there."

He narrowed his eyes. "Well, I wish I could."

"U-Um," she uttered as she waved her arms, "how do I get down?"

"Release more mag-ions around your body. Depending on the amount you produce, most of my VOKS modules won't be able to influence you in any way."

Inazuma inhaled deeply, drawing her mag-ions out of her body. Enveloped in saffron light, she suddenly fell to the bottom of the translucent bubble. "I-It worked," she said, standing up.

He tapped his earpiece again. "Mica, I need clearance to the pack's regulator. I'll need every last bit of power I can use."

"Sixty percent is just fi—"

"No, it isn't. Are you going to get me killed again?"

"Okay, okay! You can only use _Psyche Drive_ for a minute though or—"

"Two minutes."

"Ugh, there's just no arguing with you." There was a short pause on her end as muffled explosions and gunfire could be heard in the background. "There. Don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

His modular pack began to emit a low humming sound as its moving parts expanded outwards. The nifty transformation also revealed miniature mag-ion thrusters radiating pale blue light. He dropped to the bubble's surface, facing Inazuma. "Ready?"

"Ah, the commander can sail on water too?"

"Fuel economy is important for us VOKS users, so that method's out of the question."

She slowly looked away, rubbing her cheek with her index finger. "So, uh… piggyback? I'm a bit small, but I'll try to—"

"N-No, you don't have to. Just give me some time to reacquaint myself with my gear."

"You guys sure are taking long," Mica said. "I think we've already exhausted their missile ordna—no wait, they're still firing some."

"It's Inazuma's fault. We'll be there in a minute."

"W-What? Why are you blaming me?"

"Just get ready."

He stomped on the bubble and the mag-ion sphere disintegrated into tiny foams of light. Inazuma unleashed her armaments the second her feet touched the water's surface, producing a huge outward splash. "S-Sorry, I didn't mean that."

The commander didn't respond as a soft white light shrouded his body. "Two minutes—I'll make it count." A violent burst of energy exploded out of him. "Let's go!"

He took a couple of strides on the water and launched himself into the air, creating a tall geyser in his wake. Inazuma was left dumbfounded for a moment before realizing she was already left behind. "E-Eh?! Wait up!"

She watched him soar for a few hundred feet in the air, covering a huge distance forward. Upon losing momentum, his landing made a satisfying crunch against the water's surface as he was completely consumed in an upward gush of seawater. The following second, an explosive force ruptured the deluge as the commander leaped to the sky once more.

She poured more mag-ions in her core engine to pick up speed. "C-Commander, that's amazing!"

His hazy frame, distorting the space around him, crackled with constantly fluctuating energy. "No, it isn't! Platforming hurts like hell!"

"A-Are you angry?"

"Kgh—just shut up and let me concentrate!"

"Y-You definitely are! Miss Mica, what's happening to him?"

"It's just his way of… coping up from the VOKS's side effects."

"S-Side effects?"

"We're almost there!" he shouted, his voice almost echoing in her ears. He began to slow down, maintaining a distance behind her. "I'll give you a boost!"

She began to panic as the island's breakwater was already upon them. "B-Boost? What are you—"

"Repress your mag-ions!" Gritting her teeth, Inazuma pumped a hefty amount of mag-ions into her core structure and made a conscious effort to contain her energy within her body. A warm silvery light engulfed her as she continued to speed towards the concrete barrier. "Now jump!"

She attempted to clear the two-layer breakwater, but she seemed to have underestimated her strength and launched herself into the sky. An invisible force suddenly shoved her forward until she reached a cargo station past the docks. As she was about to make her landing, she focused her mag-ions on her feet and deployed her shield. She landed with a powerful clap, causing the ground to crack and buckle.

The soldiers in the area, now alerted of her presence, directed their weapons from Mica's aircraft and fired at her. However, she had to slowly backpedal into an aisle of containers as her shield began to deteriorate from the sustained volume of their shots. Other than that, they seemed to be using more potent mag-ion cartridges compared to the soldiers stationed in the other island. Or perhaps she only realized it just now since Maricelle had taken the bulk of the attention earlier, and the abyssal princess merely thought of it as an annoyance at best.

Running to the opposite end of the aisle, Inazuma squinted as she tapped her earpiece. "C-Commander? Where are you?"

"Ya need help, Chief?" Ryuujou asked.

She suddenly picked up a faint whir from above, followed by the sharp grating of a minigun. She looked over her shoulder to see a combat drone in hot pursuit. "No, I'm fine. How about the commander? He's not responding!"

"I'll ask one my gals to check on him, so keep yer cool out there!"

Upon reaching the end of the aisle, the drone released a volley of explosive rounds at her. She managed to avoid the blasts by a hair's breadth as she slid under a stair platform and retaliated with her shoulder mount. Her second shell scored a direct hit, engulfing the drone in a bright fireball.

"Miss Ryuujou, did you find him?"

"Chief, found him on the docks. He's on his knees and I'm tryin' to contact him, but he's not pickin' up either."

"I knew it," Mica said, "but he's just too stubborn! We'll keep an eye on him, Inazuma!"

Pursuing soldiers forced her to make a break for the container aisle on her right. As she turned around the corner, a bright flash overwhelmed her eyes and sent her flying through a van and into a half-empty warehouse. Her back slightly aching, she propped herself up through the rubble and saw a bulky figure running towards her. She sprung to the side as the armored soldier attempted to crush her with his foot.

She quickly trained her shoulder mount at the enemy and knocked him across the building with a single shot. Two more soldiers appeared and open fired using the gun attachment on their right forearm. She activated her shield's field projector, but the cylindrical shells released mag-ion pellets on impact, destabilizing her field and allowing more of the shells hit her directly.

She withstood the projectiles, half of them bouncing off from her natural field, and shot one of the approaching soldiers. She tried to nail the other one as well, but the soldier managed to avoid her shell with an MAU-assisted maneuver to the right. He brandished a mechanical hatchet, its blade glowing dull blue, and accelerated towards the destroyer.

Inazuma lunged to the side to avoid a downward swing, but the enemy chased after her and followed through with a heavy swing aimed at her side. The destroyer stood her ground and focused her mag-ions around her hand. She caught the blade in midswing and pushed the weapon back to the soldier. As her enemy staggered a few steps back, she followed through with a shield tackle to disarm him. She finished the job with a cannon shot at his center mass, blasting him through the warehouse wall.

"D-Did I overdo it?" She winced as she looked at the shallow cut in her palm. _That axe… that was definitely a hullsplitter variant._

Inazuma activated her shield projector as more soldiers poured into the building. As she planned her next method of attack, she heard the commander's voice on her comm link:

"Just because you don't want to kill doesn't mean that you have to go easy on them."

Moments later, he crashed through the ceiling and landed between her and the soldiers, launching them upwards. He faced the destroyer and crossed his arms. "I don't know if you're doing it on purpose or—"

Inazuma was surprised that she didn't bounce back to the floor. The commander seemed to have used a similar trick in the mag-ion bubble that saved them earlier, but the mag-ion burst from his landing had disabled her shield projector as well.

She released more mag-ions around her body and landed back to the ground on her hands and knees. "W-What took you so long? I thought we're going to do this together?!"

He shook his head. "I know, but—" The soldiers, drifting in the air like dandelion seeds, unleashed a hail of bullets at his back. The projectiles, however, didn't even reach their target thanks to his special telekinetic field. "I had to catch my breath. I already told you that I have to give my body time to adjust."

"I was counting on you! You could have told us about it too!"

"Don't give me that face. I was just—"

"Look out!"

Inazuma tackled him away as a soldier fired his mag-ion cannon. With his back on the floor, the commander managed to procure a smart bomb from his supply pack and launched it telekinetically towards the enemy group. The chrome and blue sphere released a mag-ion blast, sending them back to the floor. He set another smart bomb that produced a familiar bubble, absorbing all of the soldiers into it.

She stood up and helped the commander get to his feet. "T-That was close." She huffed and narrowed her eyes. "I'll escort you back to Stork if you're not feeling well. You'll just get yourself hurt."

She seemed to have pressed the right button as his face twisted to a scowl. "I can take care of myself, Inazuma."

"Again with your excuses."

His eyebrow twitched as he raised his right palm to the side and shot out one of his adhesive tagging discs. She looked to her left and saw another soldier hovering from the shadows. "What's gotten into yo—" He turned his gaze to the immobilized enemy. "Hm? This guy's wearing one of those advanced suits."

"Don't change the subject," she mumbled. "I really dislike that attitude of yours."

"Are you angry?"

"No."

"Ngh… why do I even care?"

"Really?" a female soldier called out from the bubble. "You'd do us a favor if you kill us now instead of letting us watch this stupid drama!"

"Well, if you seek that much of a death wish, then we'll give you another shot at us." He picked up the axe on the floor and admired its glowing blade. "Either that, or leave the island before the Navy's landing force gets here. I don't care which."

"About that," Inazuma said, "you're just throwing them inside those bubbles."

Enveloped in a silver light, the axe attached itself to his modular pack like metal on a magnet. "What do you want me to do?"

"U-Um, unless we find a way to disarm them completely, they'll be able to reorganize and continue to fight."

"Most of these guys here are mercenaries, so you don't have to worry too much." When Inazuma raised an eyebrow, he only sighed. "If there's one thing you should know about them, it's that they value their lives more than their pay check. Basically, they swallow their pride to fight another day."

"J-Just who are you anyway?" another soldier asked.

"They call him _The Liberator_," Inazuma replied with a smirk.

"Don't push your luck, _Shortcake_." He launched himself into the air, creating another gaping hole in the ceiling.

"H-Hey, wait up!"

She followed his trail that led her to the landing platforms. She heard rapid gunfire for the first few seconds, causing her to quicken her pace. The sounds of battle, however, fizzled out as quickly as it started. Upon reaching the place, she saw the commander in full control of the situation, manipulating everything he laid his eyes on like puppets:

MAUs were forcibly ripped apart from their owners' suits, grenades and portable rockets hurled at him were flung to the sky, and the soldiers themselves were moved against their will—he was virtually untouchable with such powers at his disposal.

And just like what happened in the warehouse, the soldiers were tossed inside a mag-ion sphere. "T-That quick?!" Inazuma said, running towards the commander.

Panting and drenched in sweat, the commander kneeled down and reached out for a machete-like blade beside him. "Mica, there are system terminals that you can use here."

"Copy," Mica replied. "We've taken out all their fixed platforms too, so it should lighten up the pressure on Minako's fleet"

After examining the blade, he activated its compact form and attached it on the other side of his modular pack. "I need a sitrep from her side."

"They're about to send a unit that will slip through the enemy defensive formations to give us support. It'll be followed with several landing teams of the marines upon achieving a strategic breakthrough."

He wiped his forehead with his sleeve. "Anything else?"

"They've lost two escort ships while all three of their amphibious assault ships are dead in the water. Minako told me that the enemies are trying to demoralize her fleet by taking out the conventional ships."

"It doesn't matter. She knows what she's doing," he replied, shaking his head. "We just have to continue doing our part here."

"Are you okay?" Inazuma asked as she crouched beside him.

He looked at his right hand that was violently trembling. "This is frustrating. I haven't used that much energy and yet…"

"Yuu," Mica said, "your heart and pulse rate are abnormally high. I know I sound like a broken record, but without you undergoing neurobiological conditioning, the complications on using the VOKS go beyond physiological damage."

"That's why I'm using it in short bursts. It feels like my lungs are going to give in from the pressure."

"And that's exactly why I'm nervous! Your body will—"

"You're not helping at all, you know?"

An earth-shattering explosion reverberated in the direction of the island's headquarters. Inazuma was suddenly overcome with a familiar sensation, sending her heart in frenzy. "A-Akatsuki! It's her!"

"Are you sure?" the commander asked, standing up.

She began to panic even more when Akatsuki's presence disappeared completely. "I-I can't mistake her signature for someone else! It has to be her!"

"Commander, we can confirm that the readings do match Akatsuki's unique signature," Aster said. "We have also detected Murakumo and many more unidentified signatures within a dome-shaped facility nearest to the heart of the island."

"How come you guys only sensed them now?" Mica asked.

"The facility seems to be protected by a field that masks the presence of mag-ions within it, and a temporary breach allowed us to detect the readings we gave you just now. We're attempting to get through the field at the moment, but it will take us some time to establish a backdoor."

Inazuma, however, didn't want to waste any more time speculating. "C-Commander, let's go! They might be in trouble!"

"I'll drop the others when it's convenient," Mica said. "This Umibozu is making things difficult for us. Not to mention these annoying planes chasing us around."

The commander stepped closer to Inazuma. "I'll carry you, so take off your core structure first."

"It's fine if it's a piggyback, right?"

"You'll just get in the way of my modular pack. I thought you want to get there as quick as possible?"

"Y-Yeah… okay."

He lifted her from the legs and back. "Hang on tight." He parted his legs and closed his eyes. "Executing _Psyche Drive_."

A surge of mag-ions erupted from the commander, manifesting into a white misty aura. And at that moment, Inazuma's vision swam into a dark spiral as a sharp surging pain ran through her head. The throbbing was too much that it drowned out her senses, casting her consciousness into the void.

She thought that the painful silence would last forever, but she started to hear voices from the deepest recesses of her mind:

_Wow! I never had these sweets before! What are they called?_

_What's with that gloomy face? Don't tell me you got scolded again…_

_I really like this place. It's peaceful and quiet. I want the whole world to be like that._

_For the sake of everyone's happiness, we have to keep fighting. I already told you that before, you know?_

_Come on, don't be like that! The others won't mind at all!_

_You can always count on me! We're friends, right?_

These voices didn't make any sense to her, but she found them strangely nostalgic. She wanted to know more, and her desire for answers sparked a new occurrence.

A series of blemished and distorted images flashed before her eyes as more voices echoed in her head:

_Why are you crying? I'm fine, see?_

_I… I have to help out everyone on the front. Don't worry—we got this in the bag!_

_As long as I'm here, those bad guys won't be harming anyone!_

_So… please wait for me, okay?_

Hopelessness and desperation welled up to the point that it was too much to bear.

"Inazuma, what's wrong?"

The commander's calming voice seemed to have broken her trance. She gasped and hastily wiped off her tears. "A-Ah, no, it's nothing."

No sarcastic quip or retort this time. He just gave her a calculating gaze as his hazy brown eyes reflected the blistering glow surrounding them. "All set then?"

She nodded and rested her head on his shoulder. "Yes, I'm ready. Let's save Akatsuki and Murakumo."

He tightened his grip on the destroyer. "Here goes!"

Inazuma heard a violent clap as the mag-ions around them erupted like a bomb, rivalling the firepower of her main guns. She then felt the rush of wind hitting the side of her face, and she opened her eyes just in time to see the ground closing in towards them. Their landing was punctuated with a gratifying crunch, causing the cement beneath the commander's feet to crack and bulge. Before she could recover from their descent, they were already up in the air again.

"C-Commander," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck, "I-I think I'm going to be sick… !"

His breathing became quick and ragged while his arms shook uncontrollably. "If you throw up, I'll drop you."

The commander's mag-ions grew more intense in every hop, allowing them to cover a larger distance than the last. The amount of energy being released, including the physical and mental strain to manipulate mag-ion particles, was already beyond the limits of ordinary humans. Then again, he was already an oddity among the people she had met so far in her life.

She could hear Mica panicking over the channel while reading out his vital signs, but the commander simply ignored her warnings as he persisted through his self-inflicted pressure.

Within a minute, they already reached the outskirts of the headquarters' premises. Another jump allowed them to cross over the walls and fences, landing in the midst of a scrambling armored unit. The commander deployed a shield to protect themselves from the initial burst of lead from all directions. "M-Mica… what's your status?" he asked, putting down Inazuma.

"They really want to shoot us out of the sky, so Ryuujou and Maricelle jumped out to manhandle that giant blob thing and the other Abyssals."

"I-It's the best way to… deal with them. W-Well… anything with a strong field… really."

"We're on our way to support Minako's inbound units. Just hang in there, okay?"

A soldier from behind produced a blade from his auxiliary pack and rushed towards the commander. Inazuma intercepted the man and disarmed him with a swift jab of her shield. More of them followed suit with their weapons in hand, but the commander stopped them in their tracks as he pointed his hand at them.

He pivoted on his heels and hurled them towards another group of soldiers. Knocking them to the ground like empty cans, he tossed a smart bomb that locked the enemies inside a mag-ion sphere. He didn't give the other soldiers the chance to retaliate as he swept them off their feet and gathered them into the sphere.

"C-Commander," Inazuma said, pointing at the explosions ahead of them, "shouldn't we help them?"

"T-They… can handle it." He pointed at his left as soon as an APC appeared behind a two-story building and lined up its turret towards them. "D-Didn't you want to get to Akatsuki as soon as possible?"

"Y-Yeah, but—"

The armored vehicle's mag-ion cannon let loose an energy blast. The pair avoided the attack, and the commander cast a smart bomb at the APC, causing a violent electrical explosion upon impact. As the blinding flash receded, there was a wide scorch mark on the side of the vehicle, but the APC itself didn't seem to have any more apparent damage. A few seconds later, the vehicle's crew and passengers hurried out of the vehicle and hightailed to safety.

The remaining soldiers around them, most likely struck with awe from the look of their faces, lowered their weapons and began to pull back as well, much to Inazuma's relief. "Y-You did it!" she said, approaching the commander.

"Nrgh… on to the next stop we go…" He scooped up Inazuma, who gasped in surprise. "Hold on tight."

Before she could utter another word, the commander kicked the ground and leaped towards the dome in the distance.

Inazuma noticed a scarlet glint in the corner of her eye, and she only had enough time to deploy a field to protect themselves from a mag-ion blast. The attack made them lose momentum as they veered to the right and dived towards a thicket beside the water canal. "C-Commander!" Inazuma cried, pulling him out of the bushes. "A-Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, thanks for… b-blocking that one."

As she helped him get to his feet, she noticed blood trickling down his right arm. "H-Hold on, do you have anything that could stop the bleeding?"

He winced as he reached out for an FCP from his modular pack. "Y-Yeah, just give me a minute… to catch my breath," he replied, applying a gauze over the gash.

"The one who shot us was—"

Explosive shells struck the surrounding area, clearing out the trees and vegetation. She pushed the commander down and kneeled beside him so that she could deploy a smaller, concentrated mag-ion field over them. Dirt, wood splinters, and shrapnel flew everywhere as she focused all her energy into the shield projector, but it would seem that luck was on their side once again as the barrage came into an abrupt halt.

A Ru-class battleship, clad in a C2 full body unit, emerged from the thick screen of fire and smoke. The blackened scars covering almost half of her pale face made her more intimidating. "My, just look who decided to drop by and grace us with his presence."

Two more figures hovered behind the abyssal ship. "F-Funa Yurei?" Inazuma uttered.

Unlike the one they saw earlier, their bodies were translucent as if they were real ghosts. A flaming blue orb hovered within their chests, pulsing mag-ions throughout their bodies.

The abyssal ship grinned. "You should concern yourself less about these second-rate machines. I only brought them with me so that they could learn a thing or two about basic combat."

"M-Machines?"

"Biomechanically engineered beings," the commander said as he took his vest off and produced a mag-ion cell. "That's what automatons really are."

"What? R-Really?"

His face twisted in pain as he injected the cell's bluish liquid into the module on his shoulder. "Ngh, why do you sound surprised? Emery already told you that it was her team's pet project."

"Y-You never told anyone about it before."

"But in all honesty," the battleship said, "I don't get why those hapless humans are so wary about your little group. Even with those spoiled rejects on your side, you are but a minor inconvenience to us."

He replaced the bloodied dressing with a new one and began wrapping some bandages around his arm. "No pressure… but keep your wits about you," he told Inazuma. "One small slip and we die here."

"I-I know."

"Are you scared?"

"Y-Yeah."

"Good." He took a deep breath and looked ahead, narrowing his eyes. "You should be."

Ru-class battleship raised her massive cannon and unleashed another scarlet blast, forcing the pair to separate. "If you're done exchanging parting wishes with each other, it's about time we get this underway."

"Commander!" Inazuma cried, shielding herself from the falling dirt and mud.

Floating at the edge of the smoldering crater, the commander had his right hand raised and pointed at the abyssal ship. The fierce look on his face vanished as his silver shroud scattered away. "You know," he said, lowering his arm, "on second thought, I'll sit this one out."

"E-Eh? W-What?"

"Going to surrender?" The battleship's face darkened. "Disappointing. I came here to fight and I was at least hoping that you would be able to provide some challenge for me."

"Oh? But don't take it the wrong way." Grinning, he gestured at the destroyer. "I just figured that Inazuma alone is more than enough to take you down."

Inazuma's eyes shot wide. _W-Wait, what is he saying?!_

The battleship grinned, brushing a few locks of hair away from her face. "Interesting. I wasn't aware that the Liberator, of all people, can spout out stupid jokes like that." She aimed her cannon at him. "But it's unfortunate that I'm not in the mood for jokes right now."

She let loose another cannon shot, illuminating the remains of the thicket once more.

And at that moment, the commander's frame produced a blistering silver blaze as he intercepted the attack with a backhanded strike and directed it to the ground.

No.

It would've been more accurate to say that he caught the blast in a telekinetic field and swatted it away like a ball. Nevertheless, it was still a breathtaking feat.

The explosion that followed dug another wide crater in the ground, but the commander didn't look fazed at all. Winding down, he just floated in the air with his legs crossed. "Me neither, so let me cut to the chase: you can't possibly win against us." Inazuma suddenly heard his voice through her earpiece. "That said, can you keep your natural field generation to a minimum?"

"H-Huh? If I do that and I get hit by a heavy-caliber gun, I'll—"

He grabbed the hatchet from his back and tossed it towards Inazuma. "Speed is the best defense for this situation. Am I wrong?"

"O-Okay," she mumbled, picking up the small axe, "I'll try to—"

"Eyes ahead."

As she did that, the Ru-class ship already made the first move as she charged at her with a lance in hand. Inazuma lunged to the side at the last second and summoned her armaments, unleashing a quick succession of shots at the enemy's backside.

Protected by a mag-ion barrier, the battleship turned her suit's thrusters off and skidded on the ground. The turrets attached on her back trained themselves on the destroyer and retaliated in kind. Inazuma lunged out of the first shell's path and sprinted away from the onslaught. "C-Commander, are you seriously not going to help?!"

"I believe in you, Inazuma."

"E-Eh? W-W-What are you saying all of a sudden?"

"The power of trust is a wonderful thing. It should give you a significant power-up, right?

His cynical tone almost cost her her life as a red mag-ion projectile brushed her arm. "S-Stop that!"

He sighed. "How do you think you can run so fast like that?"

As she slid behind a broken tree, she only then noticed the silvery particles leaking out of her body.

She felt as light as a feather, but it didn't make any sense. Was it related to how he could somehow manipulate objects at will? She shoved the thought aside as she sprung a few dozen feet away from the Ru-class ship's salvo. Fighting on land seemed so foreign to her, even when she had her share of it during her time in the Navy, so she could really use all the advantage that she could get.

"If you won't take me seriously," the battleship drifted in an arc and rushed at her once again, "I'll have your head on my spear!"

Inazuma threw her anchor forward, but the battleship leaned to the side and fired another shell at her. She made a quick step to the left and charged towards her as she fired her shoulder mount. The abyssal ship took the shells head-on and pointed her lance forward. Leaning to the right, the destroyer avoided the weapon's pronged tip at the last second and poured her mag-ions into the hatchet.

With all her might, she slammed the hatchet's blade into the battleship's barrier, shattering it in one strike. The enemy ship was just as quick to retaliate as well, jabbing her elbow at the destroyer's face. Inazuma quickly blocked the blow with her shield, but the force of the attack overwhelmed her stance, knocking her to the ground. The Ru-class ship followed up with a stomp, but she activated her winch just in time to avoid the attack.

Inazuma fired at the pursuing battleship as she was dragged across the muddy field, but her shots didn't hinder the enemy at all. As she finally reached the broken tree where her anchor was embedded, she found herself stuck in a mass of vines and branches. She sat up and struggled to break free, but she began sinking further into the pool of mud instead.

The raven-haired abyssal ship stood before her. "That's quite clever of you," she pointed her bulky cannon at the destroyer's face, "but your efforts still fall short in the end."

The cannon hummed as the tip of its barrel began to emit a blinding red light. Gritting her teeth, Inazuma looked down on her ragged and muddy skirt as she steeled herself for the attack.

"Time out!"

A crackling sound filled her ears after hearing the commander's voice. An MAU turret fell off from the battleship's back, releasing bluish sparks from its base. The Ru-class ship smirked and turned around, aiming her cannon at the commander. "You've finally made your move."

A red mag-ion beam erupted from her cannon, but the commander simply skirted from the deadly streak. "Yeah… aren't you enjoying yourself too much?"

Retracting her lance, she took a few steps towards him. "You could say that. It's not every day that you get to fight a fleet girl handpicked by the Liberator himself."

He sat in the air with his leg crossed, pointing at Inazuma with his machete. "Speaking of which, you really shouldn't turn your back from your opponent like that."

"Hmph, overselling a puny destroyer like her won't make this situation any different."

He had a deadpan expression on his face as he stared ahead. "No, seriously."

"What could she possi—"

A shadow, fast and silent, leaped over her and ran a lengthy blade through the back of the abyssal ship. "That. That could happen."

"J-Jintsuu?!" Inazuma cried.

However, the sneak attack proved to have little effect as the enemy responded just as quick with an elbow strike. Jintsuu intercepted it and countered with a punch to the gut. The battleship staggered backwards, but she quickly righted herself and cracked a smile. "Now this is getting interesting."

Drawing a dagger from her belt sheath, Jintsuu sprung towards the abyssal ship and swung the blade in a wide horizontal arc. The enemy hopped backwards and deployed her lance again, catching the fleet girl by surprise. The spear's blade tore through her shoulder, but the light cruiser pushed through and delivered a point-blank salvo with her forearm turrets, swallowing them in a vicious explosion.

Jintsuu burst out of the smoke and landed near Inazuma. "Are you alright?" she asked, lending a hand.

"Y-Yeah, I'm—" The abyssal ship darted out of the waning smokescreen. "Behind you!"

As if on cue, a devastating blast knocked the enemy for quite a distance. Inazuma traced the shell's trajectory, and she saw a group of fleet girls sailing on the water canal. They hopped out of the waterway and started running towards them. "Bam! Second place!" Nagara said upon reaching the trapped destroyer. "Tag in, Inazuma! Time for me to get on the ring and give her the smack do—"

"E-Erm, please help me out first."

She rubbed the back of her head. "Whoops, sorry."

The two cruisers pulled her out of the heap. Inazuma felt heavy with all the icky dirt that had permeated in her clothes. "T-Thank you."

"You guys had me worried," the commander said, landing in front of the new arrivals. "If that woman had gone serious from the start, the two of us would've been—"

"Wait! Y-You were just stalling?!"

He scoffed as the hatchet on the ground flew towards his hand. "Well, it worked, didn't it? Even if I'm still at my prime, there's no winning this one with just us two."

An outburst of golden energy dominated the area, crawling on the ground outwards like electricity. The source, the Ru-class battleship, began laughing. "And so am I." A deep gold hue enveloped her, causing her suit to fall apart. "These toys are cheap and shabby, but I suppose they have their uses too."

"Hmm… I figured as much."

Inazuma looked at the commander. _What does he mean by that?_

He narrowed his eyes as he returned her leery stare. "Aren't you very easy to read?"

"J-Just tell us what you know already!"

He redirected his gaze at the abyssal ship. "They're conducting trial runs on their MAUs."

"In a high-stakes situation like… now?" Hatsuyuki said.

Maya chuckled. "Yeah, kinda stupid, huh? They're about to lose everything on this island, and they actually had their soldiers use prototypes that might blow up their faces at any moment."

The battleship plunged her lance into the ground and summoned her familiar bulky armaments. "That doesn't matter now, does it?" She gestured at the two automatons moving towards her. "I have my… orders, but I've already done my part here. It's time for me to have my share of fun."

"I-In that case," Fusou said, "we no longer need to fight each other…"

"Fight?" She cocked her head to the side. "No, you just need to entertain me."

"But we don't have time for—"

A shell darted by Fusou's face. A second later, a massive explosion lit the scenery behind them. "Your little destroyer friend was just the opening act. Let's finish it to the end, shall we?"

Fumizuki stomped a foot forward and pointed at her. "Bully Manager again and I'll clobber you with my fists!"

"You'll get killed," Uzuki said. "Again."

She blinked a few times. "Huh?"

"Just leave her to us," Maya said, turning towards the commander. "The rest of you should go ahead and rescue the others, yeah?"

"I'll accompany them," Chikuma said, "just in case."

Uzuki pointed her hand cannon at the abyssal ship. "Then let's hurry and kick her butt already!"

"Before we part ways," he said, putting the hatchet away, "I want to ask you something. You're pretty high up in the commanding chain being a battleship and all, but who exactly are you working for?"

"Are you referring to the humans running the bases in this sector?" The Ru-class ship grinned. "Don't misunderstand. Our overseer prefers to call them our… business partners. But in reality, they are just our means that we're taking advantage of until they outlive their usefulness."

"I already know that much. I was referring to your overseer."

"I hail from the eastern regions of Serenoir. Does that answer your question?"

"That explains the infighting back then."

She sighed, shaking her head. "Caffelatte's overseer, Serra, is still living in her enclosed world to tolerate convenient… partnerships such as ours and the Arbiters. We've been trying to make her cooperate with us, but she's a lost cause at this point."

The commander paused for a while. "What's your game then?"

"You sure are a curious one." She closed her glowing eyes. "To make this dreary world interesting again."

"Make the world interesting?" Maya said. "What the hell are you on about?"

"This war of ours has stagnated over the years that the thrill and excitement it used to provide were long exhausted, don't you think? We need something new… something that would completely rekindle the flames of strife and chaos, bringing us into new heights of glory!"

"Stop that nonsense!" Jintsuu's voice was seething with restrained fury. "Do you have any idea how many lives you Abyssals have destroyed?"

The abyssal battleship wore a smug face. "Are you trying to make me feel guilty? You're just wasting your breath."

"Nobody's askin' you to apologize," Maya said. "But man, you freaks are really messed up in the head!"

"Say what you will, but you cannot escape your destiny to make battle on the front lines." She extended her hand towards them. "You girls exist so that you can vanquish the cause of the world's suffering, so you can hunt us down to your heart's content. On the other hand, us Abyssals will continue to play our part and make sure you girls won't slack off."

"W-We're not fighting for something as selfish as that," Fusou said.

Inazuma nodded. "We fight to protect everyone!"

"Maybe so, but can you deny the certain rush that you get in combat? The exhilarating pleasure pulsing from your core, coursing throughout your body in the heat of battle… do you actually find that repulsive?"

Before anyone could voice out their thoughts, Chikuma spoke.

"No," she cast her gaze to the ground, "that's part of our nature as warships. A mechanism that allows us to endure the hardships and sufferings that could break even the most hardened veteran."

The battleship sighed. "At least one of you understands. We… complement each other, satisfying our irresistible desire to live out our purpose as warships. Rejecting your very existence is a futile effort."

Inazuma bit her lip, clenching her fists. _It's just like what Maricelle and Miss Reizel told us..._

Then it finally hit her.

She didn't want to admit it at first, but it was a facet of hers that couldn't be erased just because she wanted it to be.

The fact that she felt the most… alive on the battlefield.

A nearby explosion caused the ground to shudder, breaking the standstill. "So," the commander said, "the purpose of those automatons…"

"Indeed," the battleship replied. "They should make things livelier from her on out, wouldn't you say?"

He paused again, only to turn around seconds later. "I've heard enough for now. Let's move."

"Going already?" She pointed at the dome structure. "They're keeping very interesting experiments in there. Watch out for them."

"Experiments?" Hatsuyuki asked. "Of what kind?"

"You'll know when you see them with your own eyeballs."

* * *

Using the water canal, Inazuma and the others made their way to the dome facility. As they entered yet another cargo area, they got off the canal and ran towards the staff entrance past the building's massive gate. "Mica, already there?" the commander asked.

"We just made our landing," she replied, "so give me a second to connect their terminal."

He looked up to the foggy sky. "Let Marvie open the door for us when you're done."

"Can't you have the girls blast it down for you?"

He let out an exasperated sigh. "Just let her do it."

"We should really make a simulator later if you want her to improve that badly."

The group waited at the doors, taking the time to replace their broken equipment and patch up their bodies. Inazuma, on the other hand, had a lot of speculations swirling in her head since they left the abyssal battleship and Maya's group. Eventually, the urge for answers won over her as she crept to the commander's side. "Commander," she began, "what was that about?"

"I don't know what they're planning right now, but it looks like they no longer care what happens to their bases here."

"I see," Jintsuu said, "but what makes you say that?"

He shook his head. "It's just a hunch, but it's obvious that the parties involved here aren't as close-knit as they seem."

"So, there are other groups supporting the Arbiters too?" Fusou asked.

"Yeah, the Freedom Arbiters gets most of their funding from outside sources."

"I see. They're like the Peacekeepers in that regard."

He took a glance at his terminal, frowning. "That's why I'm wondering how they managed to build these bases undetected, being so close to Orion and all."

"Now that the commander mentioned it," Fumizuki said, putting a hand on her chin, "it's either that they're very good at hide and seek or…"

"Or?"

Her lips quivered as she shut her eyes and leaned her head to the side. "…the Navy isn't trying hard enough?"

The commander stared at her for a moment. His eyes widened afterwards. "I… I think you're onto something here. Thank you, Fumizuki."

She gave him a firm salute. "All in a day's work, Commander!"

"I wasn't referring to that," Inazuma said, crossing her arms.

He raised an eyebrow. "What then?"

She paused for a second, gauging the commander's face. "About what the Ru-class battleship mentioned earlier…"

"That?" He also took a moment to organize his thoughts. "I know that I'm just repeating myself again, but you shouldn't let others dictate your ability to decide for yourself."

"Even if it means defying orders and protocols?" Jintsuu wore a pensive expression. "Isn't that a very dangerous outlook to live by?"

"Whether you made the right or wrong call, you should learn to live with the decisions you make. You wouldn't be able to move forward otherwise."

Inazuma stomped the ground. "N-No, not that either!"

"You're channelling an awful lot of Akatsuki lately…"

"Listen, I just—"

"Are those… our allies?" Jintsuu asked, pointing at the waterway.

The two figures hopped off from the canal and joined the group. "Oh, we got here in time," Maricelle said. "How did these worms do, Yuu?"

"Too early for a proper assessment, but everything's going well at least," he replied, looking at the direction where the pair came from.

"Everyone got 'ere in one piece," Ryuujou said, "and that's what matters."

Considering the number of smoke trails and embers drifting into the sky, Inazuma could only assume that they got a tad more enthusiastic than what was necessary.

"Is there something wrong?" Fusou asked the abyssal destroyer.

"They didn't bring that annoying woman with them?" A smile splayed on her face. "It's good that she's not breathing down on my neck for once."

"Are you talking about Nerine? D-Do you hate her?"

"I wish she'd sink already."

"Um," Fumizuki said, "what do you _not_ hate?"

"This small talk is already getting on my nerves. Who are we waiting for anyway?"

"Marvie," the commander said as he tapped at his terminal.

"Step aside, bitches!" Her right hand morphed into a naval gun. "I'll show you how it's done."

"H-How do you work with someone like her?" Jintsuu asked, distancing herself from the abyssal princess.

The commander walked up to the door and kicked it with the sole of his boots. "Carrots. Plenty of 'em." Blue sparks flew off from the entrance's frame as the door began to open. "But in her case—"

Maricelle growled and pointed at the door. "Less chitchat and more walking!"

They went through a short passageway and into a dock for boats and amphibious vessels. The area was deserted, with only emergency lights illuminating the path ahead of them.

As they got closer to the giant gate separating them from the building's dome proper, the mag-ion field shrouding the gate began to flicker. They could also pick out muffled booms from the other side.

The commander prompted everyone to get ready as he approached the utility access. He gave it a hard kick, causing a reaction similar to the previous door. The steel barrier slowly parted, and what was revealed to them was something out of this world.

A colossal clash of powers that overshadowed all of Inazuma's fiercest battles.

A bloody free-for-all that ravaged the flooded arena.

In the midst of the carnage was a girl shrouded in an ethereal veil.

_Y-Yayoi… ?_

Her visage was like of an angel. Her graceful but calculated movements were breathtaking.

Prancing around her enemies, she avoided all forms of assault and returned the favor with her armaments.

For what seemed to be an eternity, the constant chugs and booms of her floating autonomous turrets filled the vast enclosure. And when it finally stopped, fleet girls and abyssal ships, far and near, sunk into the bottom of the deep pool. Some of their bodies riddled with holes, some had their limbs completely torn away by larger shells.

In mere seconds, death's pungent odor only grew stronger, forcing out various degrees of disgust and terror from the group. The ghostly fleet girl hovered back to a platform on the center of the bloody pool. The floating turrets above her shrunk into flaming purple orbs and settled close to her body, gently moving in a circular motion.

She landed next to a pair of fleet girl destroyers who were barely breathing with the damage they had sustained.

Inazuma's heart skipped a beat at the dismal sight. The storm of emotions in her chest made her bolt towards the water. "A-Akatsuki! Murakumo!"

An unyielding grip clamped down around her arm. "Stop," the commander said. "Don't be so hasty."

"B-But—"

Maricelle snorted. "If she wanna die that much, let her go."

Out of nowhere, a voice bellowed from the dome's sound system:

"Truly marvellous! That is the kind of power we need to even the field against those monsters!" There was a short pause as they heard a chuckle. "Don't you agree, Yuu?"

The commander looked up, his eyes darting left and right. "So, basically, make monsters to fight monsters? That's a surprisingly straightforward approach from someone like you, Samuel."

"But it is only fitting, is it not? You, of all people, should be aware of the eldritch horrors we are constantly dealing with in this dirt ball of ours."

Three people emerged from a dim room on the uppermost level of the building and walked along a catwalk that ran across the ceiling's width—a tall man wearing a sleek MAU suit, a girl clad in a knee-length laboratory coat over a fitting hazard suit, and finally, another man in a dark business suit.

"Koharu," he whispered.

"U-Uh, what's going on?" Fumizuki asked.

He narrowed his eyes. "Just… catching up with some past colleagues."

Jintsuu gasped. "C-Colleagues?"

"J-Just how many people are you affiliated with?!" Inazuma asked.

The trio stopped at the center of the platform, and the man in the classy suit leaned on the railing. "By the way, how was your three-year probation, Yuu?" Samuel asked. "If you had accepted my offer back then, you would have gotten out of their custody in the same week."

"I'm over it." He directed his gaze back at the ghostly girl before them. "What's with this new project of yours?"

"I knew you would be interested. It is only a matter of time before the next _Awakening_ begins, so we are doing our utmost to meet all of our deadlines."

"Awakening? Are you referring to—"

"Yes, yes. We have decided to call it that many moons ago." He chuckled. "How does it feel being out of the loop for once?"

The commander let out a low grumble. "How close are we to the next one?"

Another pause. "It is sooner than the last forecast, I'm afraid."

"W-What?"

"As early as _ten months_ from now. We might be lucky enough to get an extra month or two of preparation before their forces began to mobilize, but this is an event that we cannot take for granted."

"Where's the next target?"

"We are still working on that. The last case makes it clear that they are willing to attack coastal cities as well, so it could be anywhere."

Inazuma looked at the Yayoi. _Is this Awakening thing connected to what Miss Emery told us about?_

The commander had a concerned look on his face, but only for a moment as he stepped closer to the platform's edge. "Let's put that aside for now before I get fully sidetracked." He pointed at the ghostly-pale fleet girl. "What did you do to Yayoi?"

The man in the suit clasped his hands. "Finally living up to your title, I see. Donning such a complex needlessly puts you in harm's way, and I find it very contradictory to your—"

"I asked you a question, Samuel."

His voice was restrained but filled with unmistakable fury.

"Emery did not tell you? Fine then." Samuel finally stood up straight and flexed his left hand. "We are experimenting on a new kind of modernization procedure for our ladies of war. The Irregulars and Automatons you have seen so far were mere stepping stones toward our true goal: to create humanity's ultimate guardians that can square off against those powerful monstrosities."

"Ultimate… guardians?" Fusou asked.

"You valiant maidens of the _other world_ have been protecting us from the Abyssal menace for decades, but the stakes involved in this vicious struggle continue to grow as time passes. We need to keep up with the enemy's frightening pace of evolution and progress."

"He's not wrong," the abyssal destroyer said, shrugging.

"But at what cost?" Jintsuu said. "Just now, you were using inexperienced fleet girls as live targets!"

"Sacrifices are inevitable, no? If I recall it right, the Navy was notorious for stretching such a mindset to its limits." The snapping of his fingers was heard through his microphone. "For instance, I am certain that all of you have heard how they wasted hundreds of freshly constructed fleet girls on Operation Deadlock Tides ten years ago."

"It was… the operation that brought many changes to the Navy's constitution," Hatsuyuki said, "including Code of Conduct and Order..."

"While it was a decision that lit the rage and sympathy in the hearts of people all around the globe, the strategy was a necessary evil that saved millions of lives."

Fusou grimaced. "Bringing that up doesn't excuse you for the things that you've done to our friends!"

Samuel sighed. "We just took a couple dozens of fleet girls—not much of a lost if you ask me."

"And abducting them for that is—"

"A very cost-effective scheme! Emery is quite a cuckoo, but she is indeed one of the brightest minds of our generation." He closed his eyes as if contemplating. "It is truly a shame that she has to leave us when we are so close to completing the final phases of our project."

"Hold on. Not that I care about her," Maricelle said, "but didn't she left because you were planning to sell her out?"

"Oh, no. It was certainly not my idea. As much as it frustrates me to see her gone, I still have to respect the collective decision of my peers."

"And those mass-produced MAUs?" the commander asked.

"We want every soldier to have a fighting chance against such overwhelming odds. Morale of conventional infantry barely improved since the last major breakthrough for anti-abyssal weaponry, so it is only appropriate to bestow them with reliable equipment to complement the fleet girls in battle."

"Is this your way to compete against the Navy and other military organizations?" Jintsuu asked.

"Who said that our MAUs would be used exclusively within our ranks? The technology is to be shared to everyone, as long as they pay the right price."

"The way I see it," the commander said, "you guys are just capitalizing on the arms race between the world's powers."

"We have invested a good chunk of our assets in this risky venture, but everyone benefits from it in the long run." He paused, shaking his head. "Frankly, I thought you would be the first one to support us in this initiative."

"Why would he support such a thing?!" Fusou said. "It's horrible!"

"Why, you ask? He personally saw the devastation brought about by the Awakening in his hometown. I could not imagine that he would let such catastrophe happen again elsewhere."

"Making him feel guilty isn't fair," Fumizuki mumbled.

"I am aware that he has a soft spot for you girls, but you should also know that he is a man willing to risk everything to achieve his desired goal."

"The hell are you tryin' to say?" Ryuujou said.

"Well, why won't you tell them for me, Yuu?"

The commander's frame released a fiery glow of mag-ions. "I've heard enough. Bring out the rest of the girls you've abducted, and maybe I'll consider dragging you three back to Orion with me."

"Y-Yeah!" Fumizuki said. "Give us back Akatsuki and Murakumo too!"

"There is no need for brash words. I was planning to give them back to you anyway."

"Eh? Really?"

"That's not… suspicious in the slightest," Hatsuyuki said.

The man looked at the girl behind him. "We already have gathered sufficient data to work with. However, I do have to ask you one last favor before I turn them in."

"Wow," Maricelle said, "quite demanding for a creep who kidnaps little girls to experiment on them."

"Gonna have to echo that one," the commander said. "You're in no position to make requests, Samuel. Tell your men to stand down right now before this whole place turns into a scrapyard."

Samuel smirked. "By all means, do whatever you want." He looked down at the pool below them. "Miss Koharu? It seems that we would require another demonstration for our good friend."

A holographic interface appeared before the girl, and she began typing on its keyboard.

"You're treading a one-way route, Samuel."

"Worry not. I have no intention of turning back."

Two Funa Yurei burst out of the murky water and pulled the unconscious forms of Akatsuki and Murakumo into the air. The pair of destroyers let out a shrill scream, convulsing as the automatons enveloped them within their bodies.

At the same time, a volatile rush of energy erupted from the commander as he launched himself towards the people on the catwalk.

Samuel's grin went wider. "Give it everything you got, or all of you will perish right here!"


	13. Dawn's Horizon

**12—Dawn's Horizon**

* * *

Eight more ghostly figures appeared behind the rubble, stopping as they saw the group sheltered under a cottage's roof.

It was a team of fleet girls, armaments already deployed.

They ran towards them and immediately tended to their wounds.

One of them handed her a puffy coat, which she gladly took and draped around shoulders.

For a moment, she felt that life was starting to return in her shivering body.

She gave the fleet girl a smile, and she received a pat on the head in return.

Suddenly, a static noise leaked out from one of their terminals and the newcomers exchanged looks.

The tallest among them pointed north and the rest of them turned to that direction.

Smoke trails and embers wafted on an island sitting on the horizon.

Abyssal planes circled around the area like crows, causing even more destruction with their guns and bombs.

Despite her hapless condition, she could feel the intensity of battle from there.

It was only a matter of time before the island was destroyed completely.

The fleet girls around her seemed to share the same sentiment and finally took action.

They split into two groups.

One went for the island to the north, and the rest of them hurried back to port.

A few moments passed as they watched their silhouettes fade into the distance.

The sounds of battle all around them didn't show any signs of stopping.

In fact, it felt that it was getting closer and closer.

Her ghostly companion slowly stood up, wanting to catch up to the latter group.

Somehow, she understood why.

There would be nowhere to run if the island fell into the enemy's hands.

Still, against overwhelming odds, was there even a point in resisting the inevitable?

As if feeling her despair, she felt a hand grasp her shoulder.

The boy walked past her, facing the other apparition.

No words were spoken as they exchanged nods, but they seemed to have understood each other.

He took her hand once again and the two phantom figures led her through the town's ruins until they reached the bottom of a cliff.

They waded under the towering rock until they reached an uninhabited coast on the other side.

Without skipping a beat, they hurried towards a wall covered in moss and crawling plants.

Beneath all the foliage was a cavity big enough for a person to crawl into.

The boy entered through the fissure first, his silhouette disappearing into the darkness.

She was a bit hesitant to follow him as she could only crouch there and peek inside.

Her ghostly companion crouched beside her and tapped her back, urging her to enter.

Before she could make up her mind, the hollow space's interior was flooded in an orange glow.

The warm light certainly made the place more inviting.

She finally crawled through the gap, and a gasp escaped her lips as she reached the spacious chamber.

Sitting beside a folding table, the boy was making adjustments on a gas lamp.

As he was done making the lamp flame bigger, he gestured at a patterned cushion across him.

She gave him a nod and settled down on the comfy cushion.

As her eyes wandered began to wander around once more, her ghostly copy made its entrance and crawled towards the table.

She picked up a small case on the table's surface and procured a handful of equipment cards from it.

Her hands produced a dull yellow hue as the cards disappeared in her hand.

And after that, she hurried back outside without a sound.

She let out a panicked cry as she called the ghostly figure, but it didn't make any kind of respond.

As the anxiety in her chest started to well up again, she got on her knees and palms and followed.

However, a firm grip held her by the shoulder.

She turned around to see the boy shaking his head.

Were they supposed to take refuge there until the battle was finished?

Almost as if stricken with a sudden impetus, she wanted to join the other girls and fight alongside them.

After all, she was a fleet girl too.

But in her current state, she would be nothing more than another target for the enemy to destroy.

What could she possibly do to help everyone?

* * *

_"Aaron, get out of the way!"_

The commander's voice was like thunder rumbling across the dome. The man in the MAU suit had intercepted him, locking both of them in a struggle. The clash of mag-ions brought about a tremendous blaze everywhere.

"P-Pyrokinesis," Hatsuyuki uttered.

And before anyone else could make their move, Maricelle summoned her armaments and unleashed a salvo with her back turrets, engulfing the pool's center platform in a massive fireball.

"Ya trigger-happy idiot!" Ryuujou cried. "You'll hit Akatsuki and—"

Shells burst out of the smoke raced towards them. Everyone dispersed, jumping off the platform before the explosions consumed it.

Inazuma landed on shaky legs as bits of metal and concrete rained down on her. She summoned her core structure and sailed away as one of Yayoi's floating turrets fired its minigun at her. The bullets easily tore at her protective field, pushing her towards the wall.

"Is everyone okay?" she asked through the comm link.

"All accounted for, Manager!" Fumizuki said.

She took aim with her shoulder mount and fired two consecutive shots, but the turret seemed to have anticipated her attack as it veered fast to the left. A third shell suddenly nailed it from behind, causing it to explode in a flash of blue. She looked back to the other side of the center platform, giving Jintsuu a nod and a smile.

She let out a sigh and focused her attention back to the center platform. Yayoi, along with Akatsuki and Murakumo, were inside a dense mag-ion field. Her captive friends stopped screaming as their ghastly transformation reached a new phase.

The orb-like cores of the automatons suddenly expanded, covering the destroyers as if they were set on fire. Their equipment began to disintegrate, and their wounds from their earlier battle also started to close up. Even the blood and dirt on their skin were washed away by the flickering flames.

Soon, their fiery shroud softened to a soft blue glow similar to Yayoi's. They slowly landed back on the platform, still and unmoving.

Samuel raised a palm up, and the exchange of gunfire ended abruptly as the autonomous turrets in the air ceased firing. "Ah, it seems the transfiguration is complete," he said. "I apologize for the wait. We should have done this at a much earlier time, but these two had performed beyond our wildest expectations. You have my dearest gratitude for providing us such wonderful subjects, Yuu!"

A brilliant burst of azure flares scattered throughout the dome as the commander telekinetically diffused a large fireball from his opponent. The hovering men clashed once more, producing a powerful clap that reverberated within the dome.

"Stand down," Aaron barked at the commander. "You're just going to get yourself killed."

"If it'll bring you and Koharu back to your senses," he reached out for his hatchet on his back, "then I might as well try!"

The commander swung the axe to the man's side, crushing his mag-ion field. He followed with a downward swing, but Aaron chuckled as he glided backwards and avoided the slash. "That's just a waste of time and energy on your part! The two of us joining the Arbiters only made our resolve stronger!"

A fireball materialized on the commander's blindside, exploding upon colliding with his field. The blast knocked him out of the air, but he managed to recover just before hitting the pool's surface. He dropped a smart bomb to the water as Aaron skirted around and launched bolts of fire around him. A wall of water gushed out beside the commander, intercepting the flames.

Ice shards suddenly burst out of the steamy torrent and sped towards his opponent, but the man enclosed himself inside a blazing sphere, disintegrating the crystal spears.

The commander kept his distance from the barrier as he clutched on his right arm. "To think that the two of you are willing to stand up for this..."

The infernal sphere dissipated as Aaron moved across him. "This is all for the greater good, Yuu. We've never deviated from our sworn vision, despite the Navy leaving us all in the gutter back then."

"What kind of excuse is that? You talk as if you've already ran out of options."

"And this is coming from the very first person who abandoned the task force. Minako was so busy chasing a runaway that she had completely neglected the rest of the unit and left us in the mercy of those scumbag executives in the Council."

"T-That's not—"

"Don't get the wrong idea though—I don't blame you for anything. In fact, I would've left as well if I had the conscience to discard everything that Admiral Minamoto did during my rookie days."

"Still, what you're doing is nothing short of murder!" Using his axe, he pointed at the girls on the center platform. "Just because we can replace them doesn't mean we should think less of them!"

"Who are you to enforce your narrow-minded beliefs on anyone? These fleet girls are soldiers to the core, and they are aware of the sacrifices they have to make."

"Are you seriously quoting the very same propaganda that exploited them for years?"

"Then let me ask you this: have you actually thought about the feelings of your subordinates?"

"W-What?"

He looked down at Yayoi and the other two destroyers. "Emery told me that your Akatsuki willingly volunteered to be her test subject."

Inazuma gasped. _A-Akatsuki… willingly… ? W-Why?_

"She knows that we're fighting an uphill battle, and she's willing to offer herself for it. There's no future to look forward to if the present is already a lost cause, so she decided to take her chances now."

"Indeed," Samuel said. "We will not betray their trust and loyalty to us. That is why we will absolutely make sure that their sacrifices will not be in vain."

Ryuujou grumbled. "Do ya have any idea what price we hafta pay for that power?! Why do ya keep talkin' like you speak for all of us 'ere?"

"When all is said and done, you fleet girls are barely any different to the children of the Abyss. Your inherent desire to protect everyone drives you to grow stronger and surpass your limits. You may not admit it, but you seek the power to conquer your adversaries much like everybody else."

"That's it!" Maricelle shouted, pointing her hand cannon at the catwalk. "I've had enough of your stupid grating voice!"

The commander swooped in front of the abyssal destroyer. "Mari, stop."

"There's no convincing them, Yuu! Don't worry, I'll make it quick!"

"Please. Don't."

Maricelle's arm went limp as she looked away. "Ngh—what the hell happened to you?"

Samuel chuckled. "What would you accomplish from killing us? Anyway, our main event should proceed as such." He looked back at the girl behind him. "And it is about time we remove ourselves from the premises as our presence here only serves as a distraction to everyone."

"Where do you think you're going?!"

"It seems that the assaulting Navy force has breached our defensive line, and it is only a matter time before they reach the island. Well, we cannot afford to be caught now, can we?"

"U-Um, he's a pretty straightforward antagonist, isn't he?" Fumizuki said.

"Commander, this is our chance," Jintsuu said. "We will be able to learn more about the Arbiter's operations if we capture them and—"

"No," he said, keeping his hatchet away. "We'll let them go for now."

The firmness and certainty in the commander's voice had returned. He surely had to have a reason for his decision, but Inazuma only grew weary as the unexpected could easily turn for the worse.

The light cruiser's eyebrows crossed. "F-For now? We can't just let them walk out of here, especially after admitting that they were the ones responsible for the abduction of fleet girls across Caffelatte!"

She had never seen the Jintsuu's forceful side before. Thinking back though, she seemed more gung ho than usual ever since she got out of the Navy's custody.

"I'm with her," Maricelle eyes turned deep purple, "For all I know, he could actually be responsible for messing up my body. I'd like to return the favor a thousandfold."

Samuel took an exasperated sigh. "Randomly pointing your fingers at someone would not do you any good."

"You bastard, I'll tear you apart!"

"Calm down, Mari," the commander said.

"Calm down?! I'm perfectly calm! More importantly, why do you keep giving these people a free pass?"

"Free pass? That's not what I—"

"First off, you let the brains of their project get off the hook, then you're just gonna do the same thing with those three! I thought you wanted to end this whole abduction scheme for good!"

Samuel shook his head. "Do you still not get it? He needs us, and we need him. It is an unspoken arrangement that binds us together."

"Then," Fusou said, "regarding about what he mentioned earlier about the commander…"

"Is he sayin' that Yuu ain't gonna do it cuz he owes him a few favors?" Ryuujou said.

"They did work together in the past," Fumizuki said, "so…"

"Shut up, all of you! That's not my point!" Maricelle glared at the commander while pointing at the group on the catwalk. "They've been running their mouths off like there's no tomorrow, and you don't do anything to shut them up. They're just toying with you, and you're just letting them get into your head!"

"Maybe I am letting them have their way," the commander said, "but I won't accomplish anything if I always let my emotions cloud my judgment."

"No, you're just playing it safe! Since when did you become such a pathetic wuss, Yuu?! What happened to the person I've always looked up to and—"

Hovering in front of the abyssal princess, the commander placed both hands on her shoulders. "Rescuing the captive fleet girls is our first priority. What would you do if they suddenly pulled something that would compromise their safety?"

"Come now," Samuel said. "Underhanded tricks are beyond me. I would never stoop to the likes of a few certain individuals that I know of."

He turned slightly and gave an equally sharp gaze at the suited man. "Then tell us where you're keeping them. That's the only thing that I'm asking you right now."

And at that exact moment, Maricelle began to tremble.

"Y-You would rather trust that man more than the people risking their lives for you? You actually t-trust him more than… m-me? W-Why?"

The meekness in her tiny voice seemed to have seized the flow of time within the building. Her usual irritated disposition had transformed into one of astonishment and disbelief.

Moreover, her body's ambient release of mag-ions nearly stopped. She was repressing it, for some reason Inazuma couldn't guess.

It was almost as if the abyssal princess had become an entire different person.

Samuel merely scoffed and adjusted the glove on his right hand. "There is no helping it, I suppose. We are keeping our subjects in the lower levels of this facility. Would be that sufficient enough to keep your mind at ease?"

Maricelle reached out for the commander's wrist. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you later."

"What are you—"

A sudden energy burst erupted from Maricelle as she accelerated forward, dragging the commander with her. She spun once and tossed him away. "If you can't bring yourself to punish them, I'll be more than happy to do everyone a favor!"

He managed to catch himself just before hitting the wall, but the abyssal princess released a cannon shot next. Fortunately, the commander avoided a gruesome death as he seized the speeding projectile telekinetically.

He pulled off yet another impressive feat, stunning everyone around him. However, the commander's pained expression twisted into one of horror as the suspended shell released a purple spark and morphed into a spiny metallic creature.

"T-This is a—!" It clamped itself around the commander's right arm with its legs, and he let out a cry as the creature injected a needle-like spine into his arm. He collapsed into the water, struggling to stay afloat. "A-Aaron, get Koharu out of h-here! S-She'll kill you!"

As he shouted that, two consecutive explosions engulfed the catwalk. Yayoi quickly moved in before the abyssal princess could fire the third shot, resulting to a fierce close-quarters battle. "Samuel, we have to go!" Aaron shouted.

Protected by a mag-ion sphere, Samuel and Koharu burst out of the smoke and hovered to the elevated platform on the opposite side of the pool.

Jintsuu chased after them, bearing her forearm guns. "I won't let you!"

"W-Watch out!"

Fumizuki's warning reached her just in time as she avoided a massive spear hurled at her. She directed her guns at Murakumo, but Akatsuki was already upon her with a sabre in her hand. In response, Jintsuu drew a dagger in an attempt to block the destroyer's overhead slash.

As their weapons collided, the larger blade overwhelmed the other, splitting the dagger into two and digging itself into the light cruiser's arm. Akatsuki, without letting go of the blade, spun midair and kicked Jintsuu to the side of her head. The cruiser skidded on the water until she hit a steel barrier at the edge of the pool.

"J-Jintsuu!" Inazuma cried.

"Crap, t-this is bad," Ryuujou said. "Watch my back!"

The aircraft carrier sped behind Akatsuki and towards the light cruiser, but the two possessed destroyers didn't make another move. They just stood with an unchanging look on their faces, observing their surroundings. Inazuma exchanged looks with Fumizuki as they trained their turrets at them, but they couldn't bring themselves to shoot their friends.

Not yet, at least.

Meanwhile, Samuel and the others were now standing behind an open gate. "Well then," the suited man said, "I hope this won't be the last time we see each other, Yuu. We may have our differences, but I still consider you one of my most trusted acquaintances. There are not a lot of people left with a firm unrelenting conviction, after all."

Supported by Hatsuyuki from behind, the commander stumbled as he stood up. "J-Just get out of here already."

Maricelle broke off fighting Yayoi and went after them, only to be intercepted again by the destroyers. She had deflected Akatsuki's sword attack, but the spear that Murakumo threw earlier hovered in the air once more and hurled itself towards her. She was knocked out of the air, righting herself just before hitting the water's surface.

Growling, she directed her fury at the fleeing group. The commander, still being subjected to great pain from the creature on his arm, placed himself in front of Maricelle's guns. "W-Why? Why are you letting them get away?!"

"Hear me out, Mari! Just… let them go!"

Maricelle sprung in the air and kicked him into the wall. "Shut up! For once, let me do this my way!"

"That's enough!"

As she was about to renew her pursuit, Fusou sneaked up from behind and restrained her by the neck and right arm. "Lemme go!"

"P-Please stay put!" the battleship said, forcing the destroyer to face the other way. "Your selfish actions will only do more harm to everyone!"

Hatsuyuki and Fumizuki pointed their turrets at the abyssal princess. "P-Please… just listen," the former said.

"Yeah!" the ponytailed fleet girl said. "We have to work together!"

Samuel shook his head, but he had a huge grin plastered on his face. "Wasting your energy bickering with each other would be most unproductive. At this rate, your efforts of coming here will be all for naught."

"If you have nothing else to say, just leave us alone! Shoo!"

He chuckled once more, removing the microphone on his coat and tossed it away. The two men walked past the gate and into the hall's darkness, but the girl stopped short of stepping into the shadows.

"Sir Samuel, give me a minute to talk to him."

"Koharu?" the commander uttered, pulling himself away from the wall.

"Y-Yes, I know. Thank you." She turned around and directed her gaze towards him. "I have a bad feeling about what's to come, Yuu. Please… watch your back always."

Her voice was meek and small, but her words were clear as day to everyone.

"But before anything else… I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I broke my promise."

"Then tell me. Why are you doing this?"

"I… I can't make any excuses now, can I? But you have to believe us—Aaron and I are working with the best intentions to help out with this ongoing crisis."

"But the Koharu I know wouldn't get herself involved in these experiments. You were treating these girls like they're your own sisters! Are they forcing you to—"

She averted her eyes. "N-No, they didn't."

He balled up his hands. "I-Is that true? Then… you still worked with them knowing that…?"

"I… I didn't know at first since they had assigned me to create supplementary modules for the fleet girls, but it soon became apparent to me that we had been working on a very sensitive project."

She shook her head. "I did everything I could to prevent fatalities in our subjects. I worked day and night to make sure their health won't deteriorate quickly. Also, I never left their side so that they wouldn't feel alone. The Arbiters, at least those people that I've worked with, treat the girls with the same amount of love and respect that I give them."

"Is that supposed to be their consolation for using them like guinea pigs?"

"It isn't. Sharing the small fraction of the pain that they had to go through is the least that I could do for them."

"You've got to be lying! That's just absurd, especially coming from you!"

"A-Absurd? Don't we all make sacrifices?"

"And now you're just parroting him. Are you really that gullible, Koharu?"

"I already told you that I'm doing this out of my own volition! T-That's why I have to stand on my own two feet for once! Spoiling me won't help me at all!"

"Koharu…"

"I-If we could just end this conflict sooner, then no one would have to die anymore. Everyone would be free from the darkness that was gripping the world in despair for decades."

His face glowered. "Are you sure about that?"

"H-Huh?"

"I want you to reflect on what you said just now. Are you absolutely sure that all of the world's suffering would end in an instant like that?"

"W-What are you saying? T-That's what we're trying to achieve all this time! I'm sure we'll be able to succeed if we work together!"

"You sound so… confident..."

"There's no question that the fleet girls themselves will be the ones bringing us peace that we're striving so hard for. See, I've heard that the Arbiters' intelligence department has achieved an important discovery in their research about the girls."

"What kind of breakthrough?"

"Their origins. It already goes without saying that having a greater understanding about the fleet girls would allow us to come up with even more ways to provide them assistance."

Inazuma's heart raced slightly. _Origins? Does that mean… our past?_

"Can you elaborate on that?" the commander asked.

Koharu paused for a moment, looking hesitant. "W-Well, I don't know the specifics, but they managed to find a place that—" Her eyes suddenly shot wide open as her trembling hand hovered on her chest. "Nrgh… agh…"

"Koharu? What's wrong?!"

She fell on her knees. "Ugh… I'm… fine…" She pulled out a syringe from one of her belt packets. "H-Hold on, I—"

Before she could inject the syringe's contents into her arm, a chilling scream pierced the air as she completely collapsed on the floor and started convulsing.

Seeing the girl in such a dismal state sent the commander in an abrupt rage. He unleashed a ferocious surge of mag-ions and made a huge leap towards her, but before he could land on the platform, a fiery streak crashed into him head-on and swallowed him in an intense explosion.

"C-Commander!" Fumizuki cried.

"Don't even think about laying a finger on her."

Aaron reappeared from the depths of the hall, leaving a trail of crimson embers as he landed next to Koharu. He picked up the trembling girl as a monotone voice resounded within the arena:

_Commencing maximum lockdown protocol. All personnel should vacate the simulation chamber immediately._

The smoke from the blast dissipated, revealing the commander's scorched form. He tried to follow them, but Yayoi's turrets blocked his path and surrounded him. "A-Aaron, what's the meaning of this?!"

"You can drop the pretenses now, Yuu. We've already made up our minds."

With Koharu in his arms, he fled back to the exit before the gate sealed itself completely.

"W-Wait—!"

Another announcement droned through the sound system:

_Simulating custom field parameters._

The center platform began to lower itself beneath the pool while the pool's steel barriers expanded outwards. The mag-ion field covering the interior walls of the facility grew denser, which caused them to lose contact with Mica and the others outside.

Adding to the confusion, the pool's surface became wavy as thick fog found itself inside the building. All the lights turned dim as if to replicate moonlight's subtle glow. The drastic change in their surroundings made them even more agitated.

Maricelle, making use of the situation to her advantage, slammed the back of her head into her captor's face. She slipped out of the battleship's arms and punched her in the stomach. "You pigheaded maggots!" she shouted, pointing her hand cannon at the others. "They're making a mockery out of us! If we don't chase after them now, they—"

"Chief, outta the way!"

Inazuma moved backwards out of instinct, letting out a muffled cry from the glancing blow of Akatsuki's sabre. The purple-haired destroyer made an abrupt turn and fired her shoulder turret. The secretary had her shield deploy a dense frontal field that took the brunt of the blast. However, it was only a distraction for her opponent to get close once again for an overhead slash.

Clutching her bleeding shoulder, Inazuma was forced to retreat as fast as she could. Akatsuki took a quick leap towards her and swung her sword sideways. She stepped to the right to avoid the attack, but she found herself rattled as her core structure collided with the wall. Instead, she hit the purple-haired girl with a shell dart. The dart sparked a vibrant blue as she pulled her shield's trigger, but it didn't have any effect on the destroyer.

But instead of resuming her assault, Akatsuki just stood there and bobbed on the increasingly wavy water. Her frame, emanating a faint blue hue, stood out from the fog that had blanketed the facility. She looked at Inazuma with those clouded eyes of hers as if deliberating her next plan of attack.

"A-Akatsuki, please snap out of it!"

Her desperate cry got drowned in the ensemble of gunfire and explosions.

She knew that calling out to her was a futile effort, but she had felt the need to try at least.

She had been feeling a murderous intent emanating from the destroyer. There was no doubt that it was a completely different entity that had taken control of her friend's body, yet hesitation was still gnawing on her resolve as she pointed her guns at Akatsuki once again.

Frozen in place, she could only watch as her friend brandished her blade and finally went in for the kill.

"Inazuma, move!"

A burst of cannon fire immediately followed Hatsuyuki's voice, breaking her stupor. Akatsuki simply shrugged off the shells hitting her as she closed in and swung her sabre in a diagonal motion.

Inazuma attempted to leap to the side at the last second, but blade's tip tore through her torpedo launcher's plating and thighs. She scrambled to get on her feet, but Akatsuki stomped on her bleeding gash to pin her down. The pain caused her head to momentarily sink into the water, causing her to gurgle from the seawater that invaded her mouth and nose.

Akatsuki raised her sabre with both hands, preparing for the final strike. Inazuma, still distraught from the last attack, gritted her teeth as she focused her eyes on her friend. _I-I have to keep up or else I'm done for!_

Just as the possessed destroyer brought her blade down, Inazuma allowed herself to submerge into the water. In the next moment, more of Hatsuyuki's explosive shells assaulted Akatsuki, engulfing the surface in a muddy haze. She began kicking her legs to distance herself from the explosions, but her eyes also caught sight of a cylindrical casing sinking across her.

Her eyes widened. _D-Depth charge!_

The small bomb exploded and produced a tremendous amount of outward pressure, knocking her to the bottom of the pool. She had her shield on as buffer, but being hit at very close proximity caused her to blackout for a moment. As she came around, pain quickly overpowered all her senses. She could barely feel her limbs while her headache made her vision spin. Her throat felt sore with all the coughing she did as well.

"Can you still fight?"

Only after hearing the commander's voice made her realize that she was already out of the water. "Y-Yeah," she replied as she slowly sat up from the floor. "I need to… stop Akatsuki."

Another bout of vertigo struck her system. Using his arm, the commander supported her from the waist. "Take it easy." He tapped his earpiece with his free hand. "It appears that those three are just testing us. They're still holding back."

"H-Holding back?"

"It seems so," Fusou replied through the comm link. "They suddenly stopped attacking just now and disappeared into the fog."

"What… what are they trying to do?"

"Collecting battle data," the commander replied. "It's the only reason why Samuel was so adamant on pitting them against us."

"I don't really like how they're playin' us around like this," Ryuujou said, "but we'll give 'em a good show if that's what they want."

"Commander… what should we do?" Hatsuyuki asked, her voice almost a whisper.

"W-We need to save everyone, of course!" Inazuma said.

"Y-Yeah… but how?"

"I kinda understand why you sound worried," Fumizuki said. "We're fighting against three of our star aces in our branch! And now they've gone crazy on us with those creepy automatons controlling them!"

"We have the numbers advantage… but I think they'll use that against us."

"Their bladed weapons pose the greatest threat," Jintsuu chimed in. "Everyone should be careful not to get in contact with those things."

Wincing, Inazuma looked at the commander. "A-About that… Akatsuki's sword pierced through my fields easily."

"It's most likely made out of a denser, high-grade abussosium alloy," he replied, standing up. "You girls heard Jintsuu. Blocking attacks from those weapons would be suicide."

"That ain't gonna be a problem," Ryuujou said.

"One more thing: prolonging this fight will only make our situation worse than it is now."

"Why's that?"

"Automatons are fast learners. We need to do this quick, but don't get careless, you hear?"

Everyone gave their acknowledgement through the channel.

"And Mari, can you remove this thing on my arm already?"

"Bear with it," she replied. "Serves you right for being such a spineless coward."

He sighed. "Alright, let's put an end to this and—"

"Hold it," Ryuujou said. "I'm not pickin' up their signatures for some reason."

"Did they give up?" Fumizuki asked.

"Wishful thinkin' there. Better keep yer eyes peeled."

Inazuma focused all her energy standing up and tottered towards the pool's edge. The thick fog made it impossible to see anything not more than a few feet in front of her, but her eyes caught a glint in the distance.

Maricelle's voice bellowed. "You can't hide from us!"

"No!" Jintsuu cried. "Don't pursue!"

Gunfire within the foggy curtain erupted once more. Inazuma strengthen her resolve in her chest as a spark of bright saffron resonated from her body. She summoned her damaged core structure and armaments. Afterwards, she brought out a couple of equipment cards to replace her shoulder turret and torpedo mounts.

"That depth charge blast really did you in. You might want to take a rest first."

Smiling, she turned her head and looked at the commander. "You're in a bad shape too, you know?"

He clutched his exposed, bleeding arm. "I-I'm… already past my limit. I'm just glad Mica can't contact us right now."

"Well, we sometimes have to take risks, right?" She narrowed her eyes. "That's why… I won't allow you to stop me from taking this gamble."

"Is that so?" He returned a similar smile. "You better not regret that decision."

"U-Um… whether you made the right or wrong call, you should learn to live with the decisions you've made. You wouldn't be able to move forward otherwise." She suddenly giggled. "Did I get that right?"

A stray shell whizzed nearby, releasing a remarkable explosion as it collided against the wall's mag-ion field. Both of them weren't fazed. "And here I am worrying over nothing."

The white specks of mag-ions surrounding the commander became more intense as he stood beside her. "A-Are you going to help?" she asked.

The answer was already a foregone conclusion, but she somehow wanted to hear it from him.

"Of course. You don't trust me?"

"N-No! It's just that your injuries are—"

"You're not the only one who's making a gamble here. Well, that and I have a promise to keep."

And in that moment, a familiar voice echoed in her head:

_It doesn't matter how strong and scary those things are! Whatever it takes, I'm going to save them!_

She shook her head. "Right! Let's do this!"

The pair charged into the fog and followed the seemingly distant booms and gun flash, but they quickly realized that they weren't getting any closer to the engagements being reported through their channel.

The commander told her to stop for a second. "Give me a sitrep," he said, tapping his earpiece.

"Commander," Jintsuu replied. "The hostile destroyers are employing guerrilla tactics, utilizing the thick fog to their advantage."

Shortly after that, they heard Maricelle grumbling. "This hit and run bullshit is getting on my nerves!"

"Hey, where are you guys anyway?" Fumizuki asked. "Err… we're kinda lost."

"Other than Fumizuki," Fusou said. "I can't seem to detect everybody else, even with the use of my radar."

Inazuma looked up. "There's something strange about this fog. And it feels familiar too." The realization suddenly hit her hard. "Wait, this is the very same fog produced within miasma clusters!"

"Interesting," he said. "They also found a way to reproduce clusters?"

A shadow appeared behind the commander, but he seemed to have noticed it as well as he dashed to his left, exposing the attacking figure to Inazuma's shoulder turret. Two consecutive shells hit their mark, forcing it to flee into the shadowy fog.

The assailant was quick and soundless, but Inazuma was able to recognize her. "M-Murakumo!"

As the destroyer's silhouette melded into the fog, another figure appeared from the corner from the corner of her eye and shot at her. Inazuma took on the shell using her shield and trained her turret at the fleeing figure, but a blinding beam of light stung her eyes just as she was about to fire her gun.

She let out a cry as she stopped moving completely. She could also hear the commander groaning behind her. "Ngh… that was a cheap move coming from Akatsuki."

"T-That was her?!"

They pursued the scurrying destroyer as their eyes recovered from the glare, and a quick shootout unfolded until they entered an area of the pool devoid of thick fog. Akatsuki stopped at the center and turned towards them, turning off the searchlight on her shoulder.

"This is it, then?" the commander said.

"Yeah," Inazuma replied, "we'll beat her this time!"

She was about to make her first move when Hatsuyuki, along with her two turret drones, burst out from the wall of fog on her left. "I-Inazuma?!"

"Found you!" Maricelle emerged not too far from them, stopping in her tracks as she noticed everyone. "Tch, looks like we're chasing the same prey."

The rest of them came one after another. "Yay! Finally found you guys!" Fumizuki said.

"Ain't this just convenient or what?" Ryuujou said. "Let's rush at her and take her down!"

"A-Above us!" Jintsuu uttered, aiming her guns at the hovering turrets. "It's an ambu—"

Shells suddenly flew in from all directions. Inazuma and Hatsuyuki managed to deploy their protective fields in time, but the ruthless hail of projectiles were making quick work of their defenses.

"Shit," the commander said, "joining you guys might be a bad idea after all!"

"And you were acting so cool a minute ago!" Inazuma said.

"Shut up, dumbasses!" Maricelle barked as she fired her hand cannon.

"Oh, looks like someone's eating too much dark chocolate lately," Fumizuki said.

"Inazuma, get your field up again!" The abyssal princess extended her free hand. "I'll boost you!"

Enduring a direct hit, Inazuma scrambled to grab Maricelle's hand and generate a field large enough to provide cover to everyone. An incredible amount of mag-ions surged into her body, making it possible for the field to withstand the barrage.

Meanwhile, Fusou deployed all her remaining turrets from their compact forms and fired away. Her shells forced the destroyers to strafe around them while her anti-air guns took care of the turrets above to good effect.

But despite being able to inflict some pressure, they were still pinned down with all the shells pelting their field. The opposing group took advantage of it as they distanced themselves and unloaded all of their torpedoes into the water.

"W-We're done for!" Fumizuki cried.

"Not yet!" the commander shouted.

In the center of their formation, the commander dropped a smart bomb that unleashed a telekinetic pulse beneath the waterline. As he pointed his right hand downwards, a greater pulse expanded outwards in almost an instant, detonating all approaching torpedoes at the same time. The gushing wall of water that followed provided them ample time to break off and renew their offensive against the trio.

Ryuujou chased after Murakumo. "Don't let 'em regroup this time! Keep each of 'em busy!"

"Roger that!" Hatsuyuki said.

Leading the charge, Maricelle closed in as her hand cannon morphed into razor-sharp fingers and swung her claws at the lavender-haired destroyer. Yayoi leaned to the side to avoid the vicious swipe and countered with a quick jab. The abyssal ship flinched as she took the blow, giving her opponent the chance to launch herself backwards.

An electric surge of purple mag-ions crawled throughout Maricelle's body as she summoned her armaments and trained her turrets, which was set up in a superfiring fashion on each leg, at the soaring destroyer. At the same moment, Yayoi did the same as she called for six of her nearest autonomous turrets. The destroyers unleashed full salvos at each other, producing a tremendous crunch of explosive energy that engulfed the two.

Everybody else had to steer clear from the blasts, pausing all actions from both sides. "M-Mari!" the commander shouted.

Inazuma squinted at the thinning smoke cloud. The massive signatures of the two destroyers began to wane, but Maricelle's mag-ion levels were declining at an alarming rate. As their surroundings cleared up, she gasped as her mind registered the dismal state of the abyssal princess.

Shrapnel sliced and pierced the front of her body. Her legs flickered wildly as she struggled to maintain a foothold against the waves. All of her guns were damaged beyond repair; bits and pieces of her equipment drifted on the water around her.

Yayoi, on the other hand, took considerable damage from the earlier exchange as well. Unlike Maricelle, she seemed to have fared better. She lost all of her turrets from the blast, but she still had eight more guns and autocannons floating above the fog's clearing.

Maricelle let loose another surge of mag-ions, reigniting her purple aura. Her face reflected the strain in doing so, but it was impressive that she still had some fight left in her battered body. "Hey, aren't you looking for a good fight?!" she shouted as her claws reverted back into a naval gun. "Stop running like a little bitch and give me everything you got!"

To everyone's surprise, Yayoi smiled and nodded. She called her autonomous guns to her side and formed a pronged staff out of their flaming cores. As she snatched the hovering weapon in the air, the flames surrounding it were extinguished. She took a stance with the staff tucked to her side as she beckoned at the princess with her free hand. "N-No!" Inazuma cried. "If you continue this, you'll—"

"Who do you think you're talking to?! Don't interfere—I'll show you how my strength puts me leagues above each and every one of you cretins!"

Letting out a battle cry, she rocketed towards the other destroyer. Her astounding speed left no time for Yayoi to react as she received a right straight into the face and sent her skidding into the fog. Afterwards, she started blasting her opponent using her hand cannon.

Upon firing her fourth shot, Yayoi weaved out of the shell's path and dashed towards the abyssal ship with the front end of her staff plunged underwater. As she closed in, she cracked another smile and brought her staff upwards, causing a massive upsurge of water. With a powerful kick, Maricelle didn't hesitate to launch herself into the torrent.

A vicious clap boomed as the wide deluge was ruptured from the inside, revealing the two destroyers. Maricelle had her claws dug into her opponent's shoulder, but Yayoi's weapon was also lodged in her stomach.

"Mari took the bait," the commander said through gritted teeth.

The abyssal princess pulled her claws out as she staggered backwards, covering the pair of stab wounds on her stomach. "Th-This doesn't make any… sense," she uttered. "H-How come… I was—"

She landed on her bottom as her legs down to her thigh brackets disappeared in an erratic surge of electricity. Her purple glow dissipated too as a sweltering steam enveloped her body.

It was over.

Inazuma could only clench her shaky hands as Yayoi whipped her staff across the princess' face. As Maricelle's body tore through the waves, the lavender-haired destroyer released a single torpedo into the water. The commander made an attempt to intercept it, but Akatsuki was already one step ahead of him as she started shooting him with her shoulder mount. He was forced to go into the defensive, distracting him long enough for the torpedo to hit its target.

As the tremendous blast consumed the abyssal princess, Hatsuyuki and her drones unleashed a hail of projectiles at the purple-haired destroyer. Akatsuki protected herself with her torpedo mount plating as she responded with three of her turrets. The rising shootout brought chaos into the arena once more. Ryuujou and Fumizuki teamed up against Yayoi, while Fusou and Jintsuu went after Murakumo.

Inazuma was about to help Maricelle when the commander stopped her. Anxiety welled up in her chest as she didn't see any trace of the abyssal destroyer from the spot where the torpedo had detonated. "W-We need to rescue her!"

The commander had his attention on the battle unfolding before him as he shook his head. "Don't worry," he replied. "A blast like that won't kill her."

"B-But—"

"We should focus on those three first." He paused as he narrowed his eyes. "That said, there has to be some other away to take those automatons off."

Inazuma slapped her chest twice in an attempt to quell down her emotions. She kept telling herself that everything would work out in the end, but she could never escape the fact that they were fighting a losing battle here.

The commander must have realized this as well.

"I-I hope there is."

"Automatons are essentially derived from technologies that produce Class 2 equipment, so the VOKS should be able to affect them. However, the Funa Yurei seems to be configured to project the host's natural field armor in a way that will protect both of them."

"A-Ah, then it functions quite similarly to my shield?"

He nodded. "They're still destroyers though, so a battleship like Fusou can easily tear apart their natural field. Problem is, they boxed us in this small area to prevent her from using her turrets effectively. And those three are well-versed in close-quarters situations, pushing us further into the corner."

She grimaced. "Y-Yeah… but we don't have a choice, do we?"

"I'm going to try something."

Inazuma blinked. "H-Huh?"

He produced two smart bombs from his modular pack. "Let's test it on Yayoi since she's already worn down. Ryuujou, lure her away from the others so that I can disable her."

"Gotcha," the carrier replied. "Just gimme the signal!"

He bit his lip. "I… I'll have to go all out since this stupid thing on my arm is constricting my ability to command mag-ions. And if this doesn't work, well... we're screwed."

The destroyer whimpered. "S-Saying something like that just isn't reassuring, you know?"

"I already told you that we can't let this go on for too long. Ready when you are, Ryuujou."

"On it!"

From their far left, two figures of purple and blue converged into a furious brawl. Yayoi, crippled as she was, remained to be a fierce adversary as she parried every blow thrown at her with only a single arm. She took advantage of her staff's superior reach to keep her opponent at bay, but the aircraft carrier pressed on with heavy-handed blows.

As the destroyer performed a low sweeping strike with her staff, Ryuujou jumped and delivered an axe kick into Yayoi's right shoulder. The possessed destroyer let out a cry as it made her bounce against the water from the intense blow, leaving her stomach exposed to the carrier's brutal uppercut.

"Try gettin' up from this!"

As the destroyer soared towards the ceiling, Ryuujou released several paper charms in the air. The charms, enveloped in azure flames, homed in on Yayoi and exploded on contact. The blistering ball of inferno grew larger with each blast, adding copious amounts of steam in their already foggy battlefield.

"Stop!" the commander shouted as he hovered close to the carrier. "I'll take it from here, so stay back!"

Ryuujou launched her last charm into the fireball. "What're ya tryin' to do anyway?!"

"Just pray that my body doesn't fail on me while I do this!" A white blaze flared up from the commander's body as he hurled his first smart bomb into the inferno. "Zone Cancel, execute!"

A sudden burst of wind erupted from within the infernal sphere, revealing Yayoi's suspended form. Her limbs started to twitch, but the commander launched his other smart bomb to lock the destroyer inside a mag-ion bubble.

"W-Whoa," Ryuujou uttered, "you can hold her down like that?!"

"Krgh, I did say that I was gonna disable her!" His mag-ion receptors on his right palm grew brighter as electric sparks materialized in the space around Yayoi. "I'm purging her mag-ions next! Gimme a few seconds to—"

One of Hatsuyuki's drones suddenly deployed its shield close to the commander's blindside, protecting him from an explosive shell. "H-Help!" Hatsuyuki cried.

Circling from behind, Akatsuki had her sights on the commander as she fired away with her shoulder turret. Inazuma responded with her own shelling and nailed her starboard, but the purple-haired destroyer returned fire just as quick using her hand cannon. A sharp distinct bang echoed as the concentrated shot caused her turret to self-destruct.

Inazuma managed to deploy her shield in time, but the shell still pierced through its field and took a chunk of her waist. The overwhelming pain sent her down to her knees, focusing all her energy just for her to not faint again.

The purple-haired destroyer, on the other hand, simply drew another equipment card to replace her defunct turret and continued her offensive. Ryuujou held her off at close-range while Hatsuyuki, moving at a snail's pace, supported the carrier with her remaining drone.

With teary eyes, Inazuma turned her head towards the commander. "Commander, please hurry!" she shouted.

The crackle of energy intensified as sparks of blue and white crawled in all directions. "I-It's still not enough," he said, casting another bomb into the mag-ion bubble, "but I have to risk it!"

He put his free hand around his right wrist as the smart bomb conjured a pulsing blue orb. The sphere swelled larger and larger, swallowing up the lavender-haired destroyer and the bubble until it was within arm's reach from him.

"R-Risk? Wh-What are you trying to—"

He reached out his right hand to the sphere's surface. "Condense!" The humming ball of light began flicker wildly as it shrunk back into the size of the mag-ion bubble surrounding Yayoi. "Now purge!"

The orb's surface suddenly collapsed, releasing a tremendous outward force.

To Inazuma, it felt like she was smacked upwards by a massive paddle before tumbling across the waves for a few more feet. Soft sobs escaped her lips as some of the seawater invaded her gaping wound. She just couldn't have imagined the pain she had to endure if her damage control crew hadn't acted as quickly as they did.

As she dedicated most of her mag-ion production on reconstructing her missing tissues in her waist and staying afloat, she looked around and realized that the miasma's influence was starting to wane. The artificial waves were beginning to subside as well. Her friends, however, still had some fight left in them as the exchange of gunfire from turrets and carrier-born planes persisted to ravage the facility.

Their battle seemed to have endured for an eternity already, but it was also apparent that its inescapable conclusion was close at hand. All the more reason for her to get back to the action quick before it was too late.

She tried to contact the others through the comm link, but no one was responding. "My earpiece's working, but—"

"I-Inazuma… don't just gawk there! W-We could use a hand!"

Her eyes frantically searched for the commander, and she soon found his head bobbing out of water's surface. As she hurried towards him, she noticed that he was pulling another person beneath the water.

She let out a gasp upon reaching him. "Y-Yayoi?! Co-Commander, you actually did it!"

He winced. "Nrgh… my reserve battery's almost empty. Just get her out of here."

"R-Right!" She placed the unconscious destroyer's arm across her shoulders and hoisted her up. "Wh-What about you?"

Ryuujou suddenly skidded to a stop next to them, shaking off the fiery glow of her right hand. "I got ya," she said, pulling the commander out of the water. "Let's put these two somewhere safe. Can't take our chances with all those shells flyin' around."

Inazuma pointed at an enclosed room between the massive gate and a staff access gate. "H-How about over there?" she asked.

"We ain't got a choice, huh?" Ryuujou and the commander began moving. "Just endure the pain 'til we get to—"

A huge explosion brought about a huge wave, forcing them to stop for a moment.

"Fumizuki!" Fusou cried.

"Tch, this ain't good," the carrier said, looking over her shoulder. "We gotta hustle!"

"Y-Yes, right behind you!" As they hurried to the edge of the pool, she heard the lavender-haired destroyer groaning. "Yayoi? A-Are you awake?"

"Mngghh… arggh!"

Inazuma had to stop as Yayoi began struggling. "What's wrong? You're already safe, so—" A punch to the jaw made her reel backwards. Astonished, she could only stare at the trembling destroyer. "Yayoi… ?"

Yayoi let out a pained scream as she began tearing out her hair. Her frame radiated a blue light, growing in intensity. The sinking feeling in Inazuma's chest became a self-fulfilling prophecy the moment she saw the horrified expression of the commander. "H-Her automaton's rebooting!"

"What's goin' on?" Ryuujou said. "It worked, right?"

His eyes widened. "C-Could it be—"

Panting, Yayoi looked at the commander with seething bloodshot eyes. The buildup of mag-ions in her immediate surrounding exploded as she launched herself towards him and the aircraft carrier.

The commander launched a smart bomb between them and the approaching destroyer, catching Yayoi inside a torrent. A sudden burst of chilly wind followed, freezing the cascade from the bottom. Just before the downpour was completely frozen, a pronged staff broke out of its surface and flew straight towards him.

Ryuujou pushed him away and she was the one struck instead. "Auggh… th-that little—!" As she tried pulling the staff out of her stomach, an erratic blue light began to envelop her. "Kgh…! My chest… feels… like it's gonna burst!"

Purple electrical streaks crawled out of her body as she gave the staff another hard pull, only causing her to cough out blood. She became more desperate in her following attempts, but her strength was quickly fading fast and she soon collapsed to her knees. The blue glow surrounding her was replaced with thick steam as her mag-ion levels were nearly exhausted.

In a flash of blue light, the staff dissolved into multiple autonomous turrets that surrounded Ryuujou in all directions. "Heh," the carrier uttered. "It's… up to you, Chief."

"Miss Ryuujou!"

Inazuma's cry was drowned in the intense salvo.

She rushed to Ryuujou's aid, but the floating turrets forced her to stop as they trained their barrels at her direction. She was forced to watch the smoke cloud fade away until it revealed a few bits and pieces of the carrier's core structure scattered on the water.

Seeing Ryuujou's body came up to the surface after her emergency floated had activated did little to alleviate the emotional turmoil that Inazuma was experiencing in her mind. After all, her other friends were crying for help moments ago and she could only watch the carnage unfold from where she was standing.

"I-Inazuma, are you alright? Snap out of it!"

It was the commander's voice. She could only breathe out a small sob in response.

"I was betting on my last plan to work, and I was so sure of it." He paused for a moment. "I'm sorry."

She turned her head and saw him kneeling beside Ryuujou. "I should be the one apologizing. I… I couldn't do anything at all…"

He shook his head. "Also, I only realized what we're truly up against just now. Because it took me so much time, this had to happen."

"W-What do you mean?"

"They're boosting their stamina by assimilating ambient mag-ions scattered in their surroundings, that's why they can outperform you guys even if they constantly use high-cost maneuvers and core boosting abilities."

It made sense now.

She initially assumed that the concentrated amounts of mag-ions, including the simulated cluster, within the arena were intended to throw their senses off during battle.

And since they were fighting in an enclosed space that could trap mag-ions, the mag-ion density would be incredibly high; more energy for the automatons to be absorbed and utilized.

No wonder they could constantly sustain their energy output without suffering any noticeable consequences.

_I-Is this it? I don't want to things to end here, but… what can we do? What can I do?_

The ice torrent shattered and collapsed as Yayoi emerged from the fine mist that now surrounded the area. Her turrets reformed into a staff and flew back into the destroyer's hand. "And that transforming staff of hers—it's an automaton too," he said. "It also serves as a fail-safe if ever the Funa Yurei loses influence on its host."

"Ho-How are we supposed to win then? There must be another way… right?!"

He paused, eyeing Murakumo approaching from his right. "What do you think?"

Inazuma grimaced. "Please… not now…"

"I'm not joking around."

"What do you expect me to answer?!"

"On the other hand, our backup should be here by now. Something must have happened out there to hold them up this long." Murakumo stood in front of him and lifted him by the neck. "Ngh… we have no choice… but to wait this out too."

"Murakumo!" Inazuma cried. "He can't fight anymore!"

She smiled as she tightened her grip on his neck, causing him to thrash his limbs wildly in the air. Yayoi was also wearing a sinister smirk, drawing her index finger at Inazuma.

_A-Are they… taunting me? N-No, if this keeps up, he'll—_

Gunfire suddenly erupted on her far left. She turned her head and saw Hatsuyuki and Akatsuki heading towards them while trading shots at each other. _S-She can still fight?_

Surrounded with a purple glow, Akatsuki gained a massive burst of speed and overtook the raven-haired destroyer. She suddenly turned around and swung her sabre horizontally. Hatsuyuki, enveloped in fiery white hue, slid under the attack and pushed herself into the air using her free hand. With her opponent's backside exposed, she summoned another portable turret and let loose a devastating salvo, causing the guns in her hand to explode from the feedback.

As she landed, she tossed the turrets away and produced another one with an equipment card. Panting, she pointed its barrels at Murakumo. "Put him down."

The silver-haired girl slackened her hand instead, allowing the commander to pull his head up and take a deep breath. She then pointed at Yayoi who was beckoning Hatsuyuki with her staff.

"Fine," the raven-haired girl uttered, narrowing her eyes.

"H-Hatsuyuki," Inazuma said. "N-No, you shouldn't—"

The moment she lowered her guard and faced Yayoi, Akatsuki suddenly rocketed towards her and rammed an uppercut into her stomach. The vicious blow caused her to retch while suspended in the air with Akatsuki's fist. The purple-haired girl lowered the convulsing destroyer and jabbed an elbow on her back, slamming her into the water.

"Please, stop it! Akatsuki!"

Inazuma's pleas fell on deaf ears as Akatsuki produced a depth charge and flicked it into the spot where Hatsuyuki had sunk. Making a small smile, the destroyer hopped away just before the bomb released a spectacular explosion.

_She and everybody else died out there, and I'm just a selfish coward who only thinks about her own safety._

_I was too scared. I left her dying alone. I let her down when she needed my help the most._

_Don't you understand? It's my fault!_

_It's all my fault!_

The voices in her head pushed towards the edge. Rained upon by countless droplets, she wrapped her arms around her shivering body as she collapsed and buried her face in her thighs.

"N-No more…"

It was happening again. Only this time, the utter feeling of helplessness and despair had seized control of her body completely. She was focusing all her willpower just to keep her resolve alive and burning, but if she were to lose that as well, she would have sunk into a new level of disappointment and uselessness.

Hesitantly, she looked up from her knees and saw the purple-haired girl walking towards her. "I'm sorry Akatsuki, Hatsuyuki. I'm sorry everyone."

"I-If that's the case… let's give it a final shot..."

She could hear the commander muttering over the comm link. As she looked at him through blurry eyes, he struggled to turn his head towards her. "Don't tell me you're giving up, Inazuma," he said.

He sounded surprisingly confident just now. "C-Commander… ?"

"I told you guys that their priority is to gather combat data. Just give it your best shot."

"You saw what happened to Maricelle," she replied, "and she's way stronger than me. I honestly thought we stood a chance against them, but I was horribly wrong."

"I've seen numerous times what you girls are capable of. Just like those three, you're still holding back, right?"

She looked at her left hand. "B-But still… I can't…"

"You're undermining your own strength by thinking that you're inferior to the other girls. A fleet girl's strength is more than just raw power tucked away in her body."

"D-Do you really think… that I…"

"And honestly, I don't even know where you got that from. The difference between you and these three isn't that big—you're just making it look like it's the opposite."

"Sh-Shut up! You don't understa—" Murakumo tightened her grip around his neck once more. "Commander!"

He began slapping her forearm repeatedly. "Kgh… I'm just building… her morale… let me… talk!"

"I knew it." She managed a bitter smile as she clenched her hand. _But he's right. We already came this far… I-I can't give up now! For Akatsuki and everybody else's sake, I have t—_

As if on cue, a huge torrent erupted behind Akatsuki.

She gasped as she saw the person standing within the deluge. "H-Hatsuyuki!"

Akatsuki welcomed the destroyer's return with several cannon shots and scored a direct hit. Inazuma was about to be seized by panic yet again when she picked up Hatsuyuki's unmoving silhouette within the smokescreen. She could feel that her mag-ions didn't diminish from the blast at all. In fact, it was continuing to rise each passing second.

As the smoke completely disappeared, Hatsuyuki had her face covered with her signed hair. She raised her head just for everyone to see her eyes brimming with anger. She was generating mag-ions beyond the capabilities of a mere destroyer, and the strain in doing so was painfully evident on her expression as well.

Bathed in a warm white light, the battered destroyer tore her blouse away and parted her legs. Her seething eyes never left Akatsuki. "I haven't made myself useful to our unit at all, and I just let myself be spoiled by everyone's hard work. You're the one who needs our help this time around, but I don't even have the strength to return the favor. I'm pathetic as always, huh?"

"Hatsuyuki," Inazuma whispered, "you're nothing like that…"

She clenched her hands as her mag-ions continued to swell. The white aura surrounding her became larger, emitting multiple red electric sparks. "You always scolded us at the slightest mistakes we make, but you never hesitated to cover us up for them. You were so loud and bossy that I sometimes wished that you should just disappear forever."

Akatsuki fired two more shells, but the dense aura surrounding Hatsuyuki protected her from the blasts. "I know that you aren't looking down on me whenever you say mean things to me, but it still hurts. It hurts because it's true. I did nothing but complain about everything that I find inconvenient to hide my insecurities."

All of her accumulated fury burst out of her body as a powerful gust of wind. "I was selfish to the core, but everything changes now! You've always told us not to underestimate our enemies. I'll… make you realize the mistake you've made!"

Hatsuyuki closed the distance between Akatsuki and herself with a single step and hit her face with a fierce right straight. The blow sent her opponent flying out of the pool and into a steel barrier. She produced another turret and fired at Akatsuki, but the possessed destroyer recovered quickly from the last attack as she sprinted away from the shelling.

As she circled around the raven-haired destroyer firing at her, Akatsuki launched a condensed shot from her shoulder mount. The shell penetrated Hatsuyuki's thick mag-ion field and struck her portable turret, causing it to explode. Not hindered in the slightest, Hatsuyuki used the smoke to mask her next maneuver, which allowed her to catch up with the other destroyer.

She threw a left hook aimed at her head, but Akatsuki stepped sideways and countered with a spin kick that struck her on the waist. She stumbled sideways, giving time for Akatsuki to draw her sabre out once more. The purple-haired destroyer used both hands for a heavy downward swing, but Hatsuyuki righted herself just in time to catch the blade with an already injured right hand.

Inazuma gritted her teeth, standing up. _She has exhausted too much energy already! I have to help her!_

And when she was about to get into the action, Yayoi appeared in front of her and swatted her away with her staff. Inazuma pushed herself up and lined up her shoulder mount as the lavender-haired girl charged at her. But before she could fire a shell, another figure burst out of the water and punched the approaching destroyer in the stomach.

"You're mine," Maricelle said, grinning. "Time for round two!"

Apart from her missing legs, she seemed to have recovered enough to rejoin the fight.

Meanwhile, commotion also broke out on the commander's side as Ryuujou and Jintsuu squared off against Murakumo. A punch from the carrier sent the silver-haired destroyer skidding for quite a distance. "Perks of bein' an Irregular ain't all that bad, huh?"

Now free from Murakumo's grasp, the commander launched his machete telekinetically towards Hatsuyuki. The destroyer caught the large knife with her free hand and swung at Akatsuki's side, but the possessed destroyer hopped away to avoid the attack. The two exchanged a series of blows with their blades before disengaging into a shootout.

The sudden turn of events left Inazuma astounded. "Wh-What just happened?" she asked.

"If you haven't realized just yet," the commander said, "we still have a chance of turning this around."

An explosion erupted on her left. She watched Jintsuu firing at a fleeing Murakumo. "Wh-What do you mean?"

"Look closely at those three, and you'll know why."

She directed her attention to the destroyers, following them with her eyes. "Th-Their wounds! They haven't recovered yet!"

He let out a weak chuckle. "That means _Pulse Zero_ did the job. Not the result I was expecting, but that works too."

"P-Pulse Zero?"

"It's the blast that I did earlier. It's designed specifically to cripple mag-ion devices and equipment."

"That's amazing!" She checked the console of her shield turret. _It's still working even when I was caught in the blast. Maybe I got lucky...?_

"But that's all I can do here. It's still up to you and the others to finish this." He reached out for his hatchet. "Catch."

As he let go of the axe, it flew towards her at a surprising speed. She let out a sigh of relief as she was able to catch it before it hit her face at full force. "A-Alright, leave it to me!"

Her spirit renewed, she followed Hatsuyuki's lead as they pressured Akatsuki with their combined shelling. But seemingly aware of her condition, Akatsuki became more careful and agile. True to her hard-earned experience in combat, the purple-haired destroyer was able to predict the trajectory of their shells before they could fire them, avoiding most of the incoming shots with ease. On the other hand, it put her in the defensive and prevented her from nailing them with her high-powered shells.

"Corner her!" Hatsuyuki cried.

Inazuma released a torpedo spread ahead of Akatsuki, forcing the purple-haired destroyer to make a sharp turn. As she did, it left her wide open for them to let loose a chain of explosions upon the destroyer.

They stopped firing a few seconds later and waited for the smoke to fade away. Akatsuki just stood there motionless as she looked into the eyes of Hatsuyuki. While she had her back to the wall and her body peppered with shrapnel, she still had that air of control and wariness even in her relaxed form.

Inazuma couldn't tell for sure, but one only thing was certain about Akatsuki: her relentless determination to never back down from any fight.

And sure enough, a dark purple hue engulfed her frame as she took a stance with her sabre.

"An invitation," Hatsuyuki mumbled, narrowing her eyes. "Fine. Let's finish this... together!"

Before Inazuma could voice her concerns, the other two destroyers rushed at each other and exchanged cannon shots for the last time. Both of them were struck twice, but the blasts didn't hinder them at all. Upon getting close, they raised their weapons charged with their mag-ions and swung them with all their power, causing the air around them to produce electric arcs.

And in the exact the moment their blades clashed, a huge force blasted outwards and knocked Inazuma away. The incredible energy being dispersed caused the water to collapse and be pushed outwards from the two destroyers, forming a deep wide cavity.

"Hatsuyuki!" Inazuma shouted, releasing her hatchet from its compact form. "Hold on!"

Akatsuki noticed her approach and began firing her shoulder mount. The secretary swerved to avoid one shell and intercepted the other with her shield projector. Raising her hatchet, she poured everything she could muster into the axe and swung at the purple-haired destroyer. Akatsuki shifted her body at the last second, but the glowing hatchet still managed to cleave through her shoulder turret and the top part of her torpedo mount plating.

The remains of her shoulder mount exploded afterwards, and Hatsuyuki used the minute distraction to bring down another powerful swing. Akatsuki blocked the blade with the blunt side of her sabre, but Inazuma was also about to hack at her again. She was left with no other option but to catch the blade with her free hand.

Inazuma gritted her teeth as she revved her core engine to Overdrive, engulfing her body in a bright saffron light. She used both hands to push through Akatsuki's unyielding grip. "I-It's not enough! She's just too strong!"

"Just a little more, Inazuma!" Hatsuyuki shouted. "One final burst should do it!"

She focused on bringing out her mag-ion reserves and channelled them into her arms. "Akatsuki, this is going to sting a bit!"

She suddenly pulled her hatchet out of her grasp and swung it right back, mutilating most of Akatsuki's hand. The purple-haired destroyer let out a scream and she began skidding backwards. Inazuma continued to hammer at Akatsuki until her purple mag-ion field began to dissipate and flicker. "Now!"

Hatsuyuki's white shroud became deep crimson as she brought her machete up above her head.

"Consider this my payback, Akatsuki!" The air crackled as she swung her blade downwards, and then came a distinct clang as the machete tore through Akatsuki's sabre. "Finish her off!"

Crouching down, Inazuma recalled her hatchet and levelled her shoulder mount's barrels at Akatsuki's belly. She muttered a silent prayer and closed her eyes. "Please wake up!"

After shouting that, Inazuma could barely remember what had happened to them.

A loud crunch filled her ears. Her body was enveloped in a blistering heat.

And then, darkness.

As she came around, every muscle in her body seemed to be crying out in pain. Her face felt particularly warm and tender to the touch as well. She could also feel shrapnel embedded in her arms and torso.

She didn't even know she was capable of inflicting such a powerful explosion in the first place.

Regardless, if a point-blank blast didn't do the trick—

_No, it had to work! Or else… we'll be…_

She shrugged off her doubts as she pushed herself up from the wavy surface.

Before the smoke could clear itself up completely, she saw Akatsuki already attempting to stand up. The purple-haired destroyer managed to take a few steps forward until she collapsed on her bottom. Disoriented, she looked up and stared at Inazuma's face.

The color in her eyes had returned. "Ina… zuma?"

"A-Akatsuki!" Tears quickly rolled down her cheeks. "Thank goodness!"

She managed a smile. "I… I'm proud of you. I knew you could do it."

Putting all her energy into her legs, Inazuma stumbled towards her and gave her a tight hug. "You were conscious all this time?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm sorry. I… couldn't control my body…"

"Dummy! I chopped off your hand and almost killed you!"

"And you just did… what you had to do. Pluckiness is a mark of a true lady… after all." Akatsuki then looked at a steaming Hatsuyuki, who gave her a weak smile and a thumbs up. "I suppose… I should award you some Lady Points for your efforts earlier as well."

"And there she goes again…"

"What was that?"

"N-Nothing..."

Another blast echoed, shaking the very foundations of the facility. As a large chunk of the gigantic gate fell down, fleet girls and Navy marines poured out of the hole. "Y-Yayoi?!" Uzuki shouted. "T-To think that you've been here all this time… I'm going to knock some sense into your head! Just you wait!"

The fuming pink-haired destroyer leaped first into the pool, followed by Maya and Nagara. They quickly engaged Yayoi, who was already severely damaged by the abyssal princess. Meanwhile, Ryuujou and Jintsuu had Murakumo cornered, allowing Chikuma and the other fleet girls to take into position.

The operation was as good as over.

Inazuma relaxed, breathing out a sigh of relief. She gave Akatsuki a bright smile. "After this, we should go—"

"Nnnarrggh!" Akatsuki pushed her away as her left hand dug into her skirt pocket. "S-Stay back!"

Bluish arcs of electricity suddenly erupted from her body. "D-Don't tell me—" She shook her head. "Commander, what should we do?"

"Mari, I need a boost!" he shouted, extending his hand towards her.

"Why bother? Just beat her up again thoroughly and—"

_"Now!"_

Astonished, Maricelle hurried to his side. But before she could get close, a steel arrow ripped the air and pierced through her waist. As she was distracted, Akatsuki summoned a forearm turret and aimed it at Inazuma. "N-No… get out… of the way!"

Before she could fire a shell, Jintsuu appeared behind her and plunged a dagger in her back. Akatsuki still managed to resist, ramming her elbow into the cruiser's stomach. Jintsuu staggered backwards as the destroyer was about to throw another punch, but she deflected the blow with her forearm and unsheathed the remaining dagger on her belt sheath. She thrusted the blade into her waist, generating wild sparks that crawled from her body.

"J-Jintsuu?" Inazuma cried. "Why?!"

The light cruiser remained stoic as she supported the limp destroyer from behind. "Would you look at that," Maricelle said. "At least that friend of yours is competent enough to do the job."

"But she didn't have to stab her like that!"

"Inazuma," Hatsuyuki said, "this Jintsuu… she's different from ours!"

Her eyes widened. "Th-Then that means… our Jintsuu is still…"

"Shocking." Maricelle snapped the arrow's shaft like a twig as she looked to her left. "That aside, whoever fired this little shit got some serious balls."

From the platform next to the canal entrance, the aircraft carrier Kaga had another arrow ready to be fired. The carrier Akagi was beside her as well, drawing two arrows from her sling quiver.

"What the hell are you doing?" Maya shouted, pointing at the Navy fleet girls surrounding them.

"I suggest that you don't do anything rash," a familiar voice shouted. "Don't make this situation any more complicated than it already is."

"Niro?" the commander uttered in disgust. "What are you doing here?"

The Navy commodore, wearing an augmentation suit, chuckled. "Let's answer that with another question: why do you keep disobeying the orders of your superiors? Your little escapade brought about a string of problems on top of the raid's aftermath. Even the task force Minako and Admiral Asai had assembled for you was amazed of your ineptness to follow a simple instruction."

"Ah," Hatsuyuki said. "We totally did that, didn't we?"

"Funny," the commander said, "I don't remember having to ask permission from any of you pretentious assholes in the Council."

Niro wore a satisfied look on his face. "Did you ask for our help the other day just so you could play your part as the bigger hero in this operation? How pathetic." He smirked. "But see, it doesn't matter now. You let your guard down, and you're going to pay for it."

"What are you—"

"Enough of your blabbering Niro," another man in an armored suit said as he walked up to him. "I want him and the rest apprehended at once."

Inazuma immediately recognized his face. _He was the one who shot Commander!_

"You know that I outrank you, right? But whatever." The commodore looked at the fleet girl beside him. "I'll leave this to you, Mutsu."

"Understood." She freed her topside turrets from their compact forms as she hopped into the pool. "I ask all of you to lay down your weapons and surrender. Initiating a fight that you cannot win is just foolish."

"You've got to be joking," Maricelle replied as she glared at the battleship. "I've already heard enough stupid crap tonight, so just clam it up and let's get this under way."

"If you insist." She trained her barrels at the abyssal destroyer. "I'll make sure you won't live long to regret your impudence."

Suddenly, Jintsuu began to panic. "Captain Tatsuki!" she shouted. "This girl needs to be treated immediately! Her mag-ions are quickly fading and—"

"She's already tainted by the Abyssal's blight," the officer replied. "Just let her sink and help us capture the rest first."

"But Captain—"

The purple-haired destroyer pulled herself away from Jintsuu and fired an explosive shell at her, sending the cruiser tumbling backwards. As she was about to face Inazuma next, an arrow struck her square in the chest. She collapsed into the water and started sinking.

"Akatsuki!" As she scooped her friend up with her arms, Inazuma froze. "Akat… suki?"

Akatsuki had breathed her last.

_We came all this way for… nothing?_

"And that's only the beginning, Liberator," the Navy captain said. "Either turn yourself in now or die to me."


	14. Dusk's Reckoning, Part 1

**13a—Dusk's Reckoning, Part 1  
**

* * *

A loud explosion brought her out of her spell.

It was horrifyingly close, causing the very earth to shudder.

This time, it was the boy who scurried out of their hiding place.

Not wanting to be left alone, she immediately followed suit.

What greeted them outside was another thunderous blast.

Rocks flew down from the sky as a huge portion of the cliff was about to collapse.

The boy quickly grabbed her hand as they both sprinted away from the landslide.

She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, but she eventually miscalculated her strides and crashed face first into the sand.

Fortunately for her, the intense rumbling came to an abrupt halt.

Patting off the sand off her cheeks, she slowly picked herself up and marvelled at the amount of rocks and earth that had tumbled down the shore.

As she was about to breathe out a sigh, a series of bangs sent her heart pounding once more.

Two combatants were exchanging gunfire from around the cliff.

One of them was sent flying back to the shore after being hit by an explosive shell.

It was her ghostly companion.

The other figure, a humanoid abyssal ship, made a huge leap over the rubble that littered the shallow waters.

She had never seen anything like it.

Its skin looked like it was melting.

Its jet-black armaments were strikingly more organic.

A viscous substance, similar to oil, leaked out of the throbbing tissues.

The repulsive sight made her stomach churn.

The oppressive sensation spreading within her only worsened as the abyssal ship leered at them with its beady red eyes.

Its arm cannon opened its monstrous maws, training its barrel on them.

Just as it was about to send the two of them to their demise, her friend's shoulder turret flashed a bright blaze.

The timely blast disrupted its aim, and the boy next to her was also quick on his feet to push her back to the ground.

The shell hissed past them and sent more rocks and earth in the air upon contact with the cliff.

"Get out of here! Now!"

_A voice?_

Desperate. Pleading.

A resignation to fate's cruel judgment.

It made her blood run cold.

The voice of her mysterious friend was distorted, as if passing through some strange filter.

But she knew this tone all too well.

_Ika… zuchi?_

* * *

_Akatsuki, I'm sorry… I'm really sorry!_

Inazuma embraced the lifeless destroyer. The lingering warmth in Akatsuki's cheeks caused her restraints to shatter completely as she was reduced into a bawling mess.

_Why did this happen?! We're not doing anything wrong! And yet…_

_And yet… !_

"Akagi?" Kaga uttered, lowering her bow.

"You took your time. I had to take that shot."

"You killed her! Are you out of your mind?!"

"And risk getting the other girls killed down there?" Akagi returned a similar glare. "I've fought them before. Irregulars have enhanced regeneration abilities like the Abyssals. If you let your guard down around them, your life will be forfeit."

"True," the Navy captain said. "In that sense, a fleet girl like her is no different to those wretched Abyssals. Kaga, why can't you be a little more like her?"

Her face darkened. "I didn't come here to kill a fellow fleet gi—"

"Kaga," Niro said, "that's enough."

"You've gone too far!" Uzuki shouted.

"What are you going to do about it? Unless you want those two to follow suit, I suggest you should behave and do as you are told."

"These guys are full of shit," Maya said. "I knew it that was too good to be true that you agreed to help us in the first place!"

Tatsuki sighed, turning his attention back to the pool. "It's decision time, Yuu. What will it be?"

And as if responding to the officer's ultimatum, the commander was now standing in front of Inazuma. The secretary fleet girl, eyes filled with misery, looked up to him as she tightened her arms around the body. "Alright," he said, much to the surprise of everyone, "but only if you can guarantee the safety of my unit. If you let them go, you won't expect any resistance from me."

She couldn't describe his expression at first. His face was empty and his eyes were vacant—an everyday expression that she got to see whenever she caught him spacing out in the office.

But the face she was seeing now wasn't quite the same as those times.

He was repressing the rampaging fury within his body.

"You idiot!" Maricelle cried. "Why are we gonna surrender to those maggots?!"

"I agree," Chikuma said. "If we were to fall here, we wouldn't have to restrain ourselves any longer."

"They brought an elite unit with them," he replied, glancing at his forearm terminal. "Forcing our way through won't end well for us."

The abyssal destroyer growled. "Let's not do this shit now! You might've been lucky the last time they had you by the reins, but what makes you think you'll get out of there this time around?!"

"I'd rather take that risk than getting all of us slaughtered here."

"You're gonna throw your pride away just to save your own ass?! That's only a coward would do!"

He made a bitter smile. "Well, you're not wrong."

The Navy captain laughed. "Color me surprised. I never thought I'd see the day that you would display such humility." Most of the fleet girls that had formed a perimeter around the pool left their positions and began hopping on the water. "But only an ignorant fool would believe a traitorous wretch so easily. I want to see results, Yuu. Words alone are empty and meaningless."

"Can you give me a moment though? I need to talk to my secretary."

"I have no time for your—"

"You've killed one of my friends," his voice boomed throughout the dome, causing the Navy officer to flinch, "but for some reason, you're still breathing. Care to tell me why?"

Chuckling once more, Tatsuki regained his composure just as quick. "That's more like it. Make it easier for me to despise your very existence." He folded his arms. "Count every second you have left, Liberator. We have a lot of catching up to do after this."

Ignoring the officer, the commander crouched down. "Inazuma," he said, "we can still revive her."

She stifled her sobbing as she dried her tears with her forearm. "I-I know."

Akatsuki was dead, but not quite.

Inazuma could still communicate with her friend's crew, after all.

The chief engineer reported that Akatsuki's heart and lungs collapsed from the concentrated shock wave caused by the arrow shot. The damage control personnel had already contained the damages in her organs while feeding the body's remaining mag-ions into the destroyer's brain, but their efforts would be all for naught if they couldn't restore the heart's function as soon as possible.

"Mari can pull it off," the commander said, "but she's worn out right now. And those guys made it clear that they're not gonna help an Irregular like Akatsuki."

"Commander," she took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself, "there's one other way."

"What is it?"

She focused her mag-ions into her hands. Slowly, a pulsing golden hue began to surround Akatsuki's body. "I can't let her die here." She wrapped a hand around the arrow, causing it to disintegrate. "I'm sorry, Commander. This is the only way I could think of to repay for all my shortcomings."

He was visibly confused at first, but he caught on quick. "Don't do it."

As he reached out for her hand, Inazuma carried the purple-haired destroyer on her shoulder and hopped backwards. "Please tell Akatsuki that I'm very grateful that I met her." She forced out a smile. "Same goes for you and everybody else in the Peacekeepers."

"I-Inazuma!" Hatsuyuki cried. "There's no guarantee that you'll bring her back that way!"

She shook her head as tears fell down her cheeks once more. "E-Even if it didn't work, I would be more at peace that I did everything I can to save her." She set Akatsuki back on the water and placed both hands over her chest. "This is… my final gamble."

"Stop being stupid, Inazuma!" The commander started hovering towards her. "Taking risks is one thing, but you do realize that we won't gain anything from this?! Whatever the result is, we'll end up losing you!"

"I… I don't care anymore!" she screamed, training her shoulder turret at him. "I've made up my mind! So please… let me do this!"

One Navy fleet girl, Verniy, came to his rescue and tackled him just as Inazuma fired her turret. The look of hopelessness in his eyes was painful to look at, but she persevered to muster all of her remaining strength.

She entered into her Overdrive state once more, engulfing her body in a golden glow. She gritted her teeth as she started pouring her mag-ions into Akatsuki.

Akagi released another bolt, but Inazuma deployed a protective field around her to intercept the attack. "Captain," the carrier said, "we should make our move as well."

"You've stalled us long enough, Liberator!" Tatsuki shouted. "Verniy, capture him at once!"

The silver-haired destroyer, on the other hand, didn't seem to have heard the order as she kept a penetrating gaze on Inazuma. The other advancing fleet girls stopped as she held up a palm. "Inazuma, that's enough," she said, walking towards her, "you won't be able to pull it off."

Inazuma looked up to her, scowling. "D-Don't underestimate me! I can… do this!"

"We can just revive her later."

"Later?! Everything is pointless if she loses her memories!"

"You should know that you need an astronomical amount of mag-ions to sustain the process. Even sacrificing your own life won't be enough to—"

"I said I can do this! Shut up!"

Two piercing bangs echoed as the Navy destroyer was swallowed in the blaze. "So be it then."

Verniy burst out of the smoke and propelled herself forward with a rigorous kick. As she got close to Inazuma's field, she fired her forearm turret. The point-blank blast shattered the field like glass, and she took another step to launch a left straight at the exposed destroyer.

Despite her crumbling mental state, Inazuma never let her guard down. She halted the flow of mag-ions in her right hand to deflect the attack. She followed with a cannon blast, but Verniy was already out of the shell's path as she countered with a sweeping kick. Inazuma blocked it with her shield unit, but heavy blow sent her tumbling for a couple of feet.

More sweat ran down her face as she realized that she was now separated from her friend. "Why... why are you doing this? Akatsuki… she's our sister!"

Verniy picked up Akatsuki and draped the body over her right shoulder. Biting her lip, she looked at the bewildered destroyer once again with her piercing blue eyes. "This is your fault, Inazuma."

"M-My... fault?"

"You were too naive to follow Yuu's footsteps to begin with. Instead of turning back, you chased him around blindly in the pretense of gratitude and responsibility." She glanced at Akatsuki. "This... is the price you had to pay for your foolishness."

Her pounding heart doubled its pace, making her lightheaded. "A-Akatsuki died... because of me... ?"

"He walks down on the path of constant strife and chaos—a path that would cause ruin and misery to anyone who carelessly associate themselves with him. You're just pretending that you knew well the consequences that entailed such decision, but the reality of it is clear as day to everyone here."

She brought up a hand on her forehead. The suffocating sensation felt like it was squeezing the air out of her lungs. "S-Stop it! Don't… don't speak as if you know everything about me… !"

The Navy destroyer closed her eyes. "There's only one other thing that is certain right now, but you still refuse to accept it." She shook her head and extended her free hand towards Inazuma. "Despite that, it's not too late for you to make the right decision."

Shaking her head, she slid her hands over her ears. "Y-You don't know what you're talking about! You don't know anything!"

"Please surrender quietly, and we'll see to it that Akatsuki will be—"

"I said stop! Stop it! Just… shut up!"

"We are soldiers, not miracle workers." She narrowed her eyes. "Inazuma, stop wallowing in your childish fantasies—you can't save everyone."

_You can't save… everyone…_

Upon hearing those words, her head started to creak.

The awful throbbing sensation spread out like wildfire.

It seized her body, constricting her until she began gasping for air.

_Why?_

_Why?! Why does everyone keep saying that?!_

_Am I really that useless?_

_Useless?_

_Maybe she's right…_

_I wasn't able to save her._

She brought both hands to her head as an excruciating pain within her skull threatened to rend her brain in half.

She completely lost focus to her surroundings; her senses seemed to have shut down on their own.

However, the brief solace of isolation was a mere prelude to a greater torment:

_She and everybody else died out there, and I'm just a selfish coward who only thinks about her own safety._

_I was too scared. I left her dying alone. I let her down when she needed my help the most._

_Don't you understand? It's my fault!_

_It's all my fault!_

The voices were distorted the first time she had heard them.

But now, everything was crisp and clear that she couldn't mistake them for anybody else.

_That was… my voice…_

"Just like how I abandoned my friends back in Tropielle…"

_Huh… ? Why am I remembering this now?_

Her headache grew worse and worse. She could feel her warmth fading fast as the chill found its way into her veins. Consumed in desperation and despair, she collapsed to her knees and embraced her shivering body.

_It doesn't matter._

_For a useless fleet girl like me, nothing else matter anymore._

"I-Inazuma!"

The commander hurried to her side, but Verniy snatched his right arm before he could even get close. He tried yanking himself away, but the destroyer's steel grip didn't budge at all. "Stay put," she said. "You don't want to get close to an unstable fleet girl."

His response was a quick elbow jab to the back of her head. Verniy simply ducked and dragged him as she quickly sailed backwards, forcing him to fall down.

"You bitch!"

An enraged Maricelle launched herself at the seemingly unsuspecting destroyer. The legless abyssal princess brought out her claws and homed in on Verniy's head, but her target spun around at the last second and landed an elbow into her stomach. Maricelle immediately fell to the water as her body twitched and shuddered from the crushing blow.

Verniy flicked a few strands of hair from her face. "We don't want to cause any more unwanted aggression," she said, gesturing at her comrades, "This is your final chance."

Three fleet girls rushed to pin the abyssal destroyer down. One of them produced a syringe from her belt pack, injecting the tube's lime-colored fluid in her neck. Maricelle continued to thrash around until the sedative took effect, and the Navy girls were able to subdue her without much effort.

Inazuma's incapacitated friends were given their respective shots as well. Hatsuyuki tried to fight back, but a heavy slap across her face was enough to interrupt all her flailing. As the drug was administered, the destroyer fell limp and stopped moving completely.

Maya's unit aside, Ryuujou was the only left standing. She took a stance as the other Navy ships surrounded her with their guns at the ready. She looked conflicted, unsure of her next course of action.

_Is this what you wanted?_

_At this rate, you will lose everything if you don't act now._

The voice rang in Inazuma's head again as if to mock her ineptness. She realized that it was hers, only more proud and condescending in tone.

"But what can I do?" she whispered under her breath. "I'm useless..."

_Your commander wasn't lying about your potential._

"My... potential?"

_All you have to do is submit to your better nature and unleash everything. Your pain, suffering, anger—embrace them thoroughly and the power you seek will be yours._

"No… I don't want that. I can't… !"

_The world will not wait for you, Inazuma. Decide now before it's too late._

The commander, his arms trembling, pushed himself up from the water's surface. "You only wanted me, right?! They have nothing to do with any of this!"

"We've been monitoring your movements since your commissioning in the Maritime Peacekeepers. You can't deny that some of them are actively helping to further your own selfish agendas."

"I mean it, Tatsuki! They've done nothing wrong!"

"If you really care about them so much, we might as well make sure to punish them appropriately for their insolence."

The commander found the strength to stand on his feet. He produced a smart bomb from his modular pack, but the destroyer Michishio was already behind him, shoving the barrels of her turret in his back. "Are you… really trying to piss me off?!"

Tatsuki chuckled. "Well, it seems that you do intend to bring those girls with you to the grave all along. Not that I've expected anything less from you."

"Who… is it? I need to know…"

"What are you muttering about?"

"Just who exactly sent you here?"

"Does it matter who?" He grinned. "The timing couldn't have been better, especially with you leaving Orion unannounced. Do you honestly think we'd let you go after all the humiliation you've caused us over the years?"

The commander scoffed. "You've always acted so proud, but you're actually no different from the people you love to look down on."

"Hmph, I've heard enough gibberish noise from a soon-to-be dead man. As entertaining as a show this is, it's about time we—" He suddenly looked down at his forearm terminal. "Tch, what now?"

The assertive, elated look on his face devolved into frustration in a matter of seconds.

As if affirming to his sudden tone shift, Niro's eyebrows crossed. "Orion's under siege again?" He glared at the commander. "This is your doing, isn't it?"

"What, everything is my fault now?" he replied.

"I knew that you left some of those girls in the island. We've been searching for them, but it looks like that they've managed to elude us up until this point."

"I told you that they're not—"

A loud bang echoed as a bullet pierced the commander's chest. He screamed as he collapsed into the water, and the destroyer behind him quickly pulled him up and wrapped his arm around her shoulder to support him upright.

"Enough," Niro said, snatching the pistol out of the Navy captain's grasp, "they made it perfectly clear that we need him alive."

"Shouldn't you know better that a simple gunshot wouldn't kill someone like him? And I don't want to take my chances against a VOKS user."

"As long as you keep your personal vendetta in check and not screw us both over, I don't care how you do things." He faced the pool once again. "Michishio, bring him up here. We have bigger fish to fry."

"Yeah, on it."

"And I'll leave the rest in your care, Verniy. We'll go on ahead."

Still carrying Akatsuki, the silver-haired destroyer glanced over her shoulder. "Understood. We'll catch up soon."

_Are you still going to hold this off? You know that they cannot be trusted._

_They already killed one of your friends—what's going to stop them to dispatch everyone in your unit?_

Inazuma started shaking her head. "No… I can't let that happen…"

Verniy passed the lifeless body over to the nearest fleet girl before sailing towards Inazuma. "Have you calmed down yet?" she offered her hand to the other destroyer. "There's no need for you to be afraid anymore."

_What will it be, Inazuma?_

"P-Please, help me! I'll do anything!"

A loud cackling reverberated in her head.

_Good answer._

_This once, let me give you a hand._

_Your conscience is but an obstructive shackle._

_ Let the destructive emotional storm within your core empower your resolve._

_The enemy is right in front of you._

_Make her pay. Make all of them pay and take what's rightfully yours._

Verniy smiled as Inazuma took her hand. She pulled the other destroyer up to her feet and tapped her earpiece with her free hand. "I'll take care of this one. Neutralize the rest."

"Neu… tralize?"

Her eyes widened as she realized what she just said. "No, that's not what I—"

"I've had enough." Inazuma squeezed her hand. "No more…"

Wincing, Verniy began tugging her arm back. "I-Inazuma?"

"Now I see why Commander hated the Navy so much." Her unyielding grip tightened even further. "You already took away Akatsuki's life and my only chance to save her, and now you're going to do the same to all of my friends?"

An audible crack was heard as Inazuma suddenly twisted her wrist, causing the Navy destroyer to whimper in pain. "I-Inazuma, get a hold of yourself. You're just putting your friends at ri—"

"Shut up!" She pumped more mag-ions into her other arm and sent silver-haired destroyer flying with a vicious punch. "Did you really think that I'll just curl up in a ball forever and let you do what you want?!"

The fleet girls around her were dumbstruck as Verniy bounced off barrier at the pool's edge. They trained their weapons at Inazuma, but the latter didn't care.

With her eyes only set at Akatsuki, she made her first step. A few ships sailed in front of her, blocking her path.

"Get out of my way."

Her voice was surprisingly calm, masking the fury surging throughout her body.

Her trembling fists began to bleed as her nails dug deeper into her palms.

"Inazuma!" Jintsuu called out behind her. "Please, just listen to her!"

The light cruiser's words fell into deaf ears as Inazuma took another step. The Navy girls around her were exchanging glances at each other.

Still reeling from the last attack, Verniy stood on shaky legs. "Wait, hold your fire! Let me just talk to her and—"

"Verniy, that's enough!" Akagi recalled her flight deck, drawing her bow. "If she takes another step, shoot her!"

Inazuma scowled upon hearing the order. She reignited Overdrive, bathing her in a golden light. "That's how it's going to be, huh?" she muttered as she slackened her fingers, replacing one of her torpedo mounts with a depth charge launcher. "I told you not to underestimate me."

"Yura, don't just stand there!" Kaga shouted. "Get moving!"

Startled, the pink-haired light cruiser chased after the group of marines.

_No more holding back, Inazuma!_

The destroyer let out a primal scream. "I said, get out my way!"

"Shoot her now!" Akagi shouted.

A harmonic salvo resonated throughout the facility as the deadly shells raced towards their target. Inazuma deployed a spherical field, protecting her from the searing blasts. She immediately shifted her mag-ion flow into her legs as she made the leap towards the platform.

Akagi tried to stop her advance, only for her arrow to miss its mark by a hair's breadth. She made another attempt as the destroyer landed next to her escorts, but Inazuma deftly snatched the speeding bolt aimed at her head and used it to stab an attacking fleet girl in the stomach.

The unfortunate victim screamed out in agony as the destroyer used her as a shield, and the rest of her friends hesitated. Inazuma punished their inaction with her shoulder mount, blasting them away in quick succession.

Her hostage began to struggle as Kaga recalled her bow and walked towards the destroyer. "Let her go," the carrier said, drawing a knife from her belt sheath.

Inazuma dispensed a depth charge upwards, catching it with her free hand. She stuck the bomb in the other fleet girl's core structure. "Help yourself then!" she cried, pushing her hostage with her foot.

The fleet girl stumbled in front of the carrier before the time-fused bomb released a tremendous force that knocked them both out of the platform. Protected with her shield's field projector, Inazuma pressed through the smoke to chase after the light cruiser holding her precious friend.

"Yura, give her back!"

As she was about to pass through the entrance, an arrow adorned with paper charms broke through her field and pierced through below her left shoulder. As if it had the force of a rocket, the sleek missile dragged Inazuma off her feet and pinned her into the gate's frame.

She looked down at the arrow emanating a soft red hue. The charms were interfering with her body's mag-ion flow, channeling her mag-ions out of her body. _A-An enchanted arrow?!_

Akagi, drawing two more arrows from her quiver, walked towards her. "Struggling against that particular arrow is futile, but you're more than welcome to try your luck."

The carrier's gloating only fueled her rage as Inazuma pushed herself against the metal frame with a heavy kick. She couldn't care less about the jagged barbs tearing through her flesh. The distance between her and Akatsuki was growing further each second, and the pain she was experiencing now just couldn't compare to the mere thought of forsaking her friend for the last time.

She gave the frame another stomp, letting out a scream as she finally yanked herself free from the arrow's notch. Blood freely gushed out of the gruesome hole in her body, soaking her clothes in deep red once again.

Akagi narrowed her eyes as the arrows in her hands retracted into dagger-like blades. "How stubborn. Now I see why he chose you as his right-hand fleet girl."

Her vocal cords might as well function as a grating siren to Inazuma's ears.

And for some reason, the incessant barrage and anguished cries of the mounting battle seemed like a hundred miles away. She could even hear her name in the midst of the chaos.

She took a deep breath. None of those things mattered right now.

The pulsing, whispering rage that had manifested in heart needed to be satisfied.

She had to get rid of the feverish chill in her body, and the Navy carrier standing across her was the perfect outlet to flush out all of her frustrations.

She wanted to bash her face in with her aching fists many many times.

She wanted to hear her scream. She wanted to see her choke in her own blood.

And she would do exactly just that.

"What's wrong?" she asked her. "Working up a sweat against a small fry like me?"

"Y-You—!"

_She fell for it._

The Navy carrier rushed at her, flinging the first bolt into her right leg. Inazuma endured the pain, leaning to her right to avoid a swipe aimed at her neck. She quickly dipped low and rammed her shield unit into the stomach of her opponent. However, Akagi didn't even budge an inch as she stabbed the destroyer in her already-injured shoulder.

Inazuma held the urge to scream as the carrier began twisting the blade. Her vision swam and her limbs felt numb, but she couldn't help but smile as she got Akagi where she wanted her.

Using her shield's turret, she shot out a shell dart under the carrier's breastplate. Akagi collapsed at the next second and started to convulse. Inazuma immediately grabbed her by the hair, dragging her towards the hole in the gate. The carrier's comrades rushed to her aid, but the destroyer tossed a depth charge at them before they could even get close. One persistent fleet girl managed to pull through the blast, but she made short work of her with a single shell dart to the chest.

Ignoring the explosive firefight within the main chamber, Inazuma turned her attention back to Akagi, who was now reaching out for an arrow in her quiver. She stomped on her hand and kicked the arrow case away from her.

Akagi put up a stiff indignant look, but Inazuma could see through her facade.

"Y-You… th-those eyes..."

Slowly being enveloped in a misty shroud, the destroyer smiled once more as her hatchet materialized in her right hand.

Reparation was upon her.

"Wh-What are you? Y-You… you're not Inazuma!"

Inazuma swung her axe down, aiming at the carrier's neck. Akagi focused her mag-ions around her forearm as she attempted to block the attack, but the hatchet's blade cleaved through the protective field regardless and lodged itself deep in her flesh. The destroyer plucked the axe out of her arm and finished the job with a heavier swing, severing the limb completely.

Akagi's ghastly scream was cut short when Inazuma swung her hatchet across her face.

She wasn't satisfied. She wanted to see more.

More pain. More anguish.

The destroyer hit the writhing fleet girl with her hand clutching her hatchet. Then she swung her other hand.

She soon quickened her pace, forming a satisfying rhythm. It just felt so much better using her fists like that despite her smarting shoulder.

But she found it odd that Akagi wasn't struggling at all. She just took the blows as the destroyer hammered away, covering her face with cuts and bruises.

The bitterness in her heart welled up to fuel her onslaught. Her punches became more severe; her fingers began to buckle each blow.

It wasn't enough. Not after the horrible thing she did to her friend.

To Akatsuki.

_A-Akatsuki… ?_

Hearing the name inside her head seemed to have taken the wind out of her lungs. Her bloodied right fist hovered in the air, quivering as she resisted the invisible force guiding it straight into the Navy carrier's cheeks.

She slowly turned her head to the left. "They… they're gone…"

_What's wrong? Doesn't it feel great bashing her face in like that?_

_Turn her face into a bloody paste! She deserved it!_

"N-No…"

_She didn't even hesitate to end Akatsuki's life._

_This is just par for the course—you're simply returning the favor._

"S-Stop it! This… this isn't what I wanted…"

_Don't lie to yourself. You wanted power, right?_

_Your conscience is holding you back. Hence, here I am giving you a little nudge in the right directi—_

"I just wanted to save Akatsuki! I don't care about revenge!" She dropped her hatchet and clutched the sides of her head. "We just need to save her… then… she'll be…"

_It can't be helped. Reasoning with a stubborn brat like you is a waste of time._

"Wh-What are you talking about?"

_ Don't pin the blame on me._

_You're the one who's still afraid to give herself completely to her emotions. And here I thought you would do anything to save her._

"I want to save Akatsuki… but not like this! I didn't ask for this!"

_And there it goes. In the end, you only think of yourself, don't you?_

_Wishing to save someone is a tall ambition for a coward like you._

_Your friend will soon perish because of your willful ignorance._

_It's your fault, Inazuma!_

"S-Stop it… ! It's not my fault!"

The Navy carrier began to snicker. "I can't believe you realized it just now," she said. "And I don't know where you're getting all that power from, but it doesn't matter now that you've failed."

Letting out another shrill scream, Inazuma hit the carrier across the face.

"I-It's not my fault!" She reached out for her hatchet, raising it above her head. "It's your fault! It's the Navy's fault!"

As she was about to bring down the axe with all her strength, another fleet girl sent her tumbling away with a crushing tackle. Inazuma forced herself to stand up as she directed her hatred to the silver-haired destroyer standing before her. "H-Hibiki!"

Verniy glanced at the carrier. "Can you still fight?" she asked. "The others need our help."

"My fleet can handle his entourage on its own."

"No, not them."

Akagi's eyes widened as she happened to look at her forearm terminal, which began to relay an audio distress message:

_All hands, Enforce Alpha require immediate assistance. Two unidentified abyssal ships are in hot pursuit of the unit, possibly allies of the Liberator. I repeat, two unidentified abyssal ships are—_

"Akatsuki?!" Inazuma uttered.

It distracted her long enough for Verniy to get the drop on her with a right hook. As she fell to the water, the Navy destroyer kicked her to the dock's edge.

"Leave her to me," Verniy said, "Please assist Commodore Niro's squad with the extraction."

Akagi got on her feet and produced three equipment cards. "Stand aside—she needs to be taught a lesson first."

A burst of wind erupted from Verniy as a faint blue glow shrouded her frame. "Don't waste your time on a destroyer like her. A better prize is waiting for you outside."

She scoffed as she poured mag-ions into her cards. In a flash of light, a loaded quiver materialized on her back. "You may be right," she said, grinning. "I'll make sure nothing happens to her dearest Akatsuki."

"Y-You wouldn't… !"

Inazuma reignited her Overdrive state, much to the protests of her engineers and damage control fairies, and flung her hatchet at Verniy. The silver-haired destroyer blocked the axe, but the blade sliced through her shield plating and gashed her forearm. Inazuma hit her next with two consecutive blasts, giving her time to chase after the fleeing carrier.

"Leave her alone!" she cried.

Before she could fire another round, Verniy latched on her from behind and seized her in a shoulder lock, throwing her off her feet. The two destroyers rolled and tumbled as they battled for control, but Inazuma couldn't break free from the rigid hold despite her full power.

"N-No! Let me go, Hibiki!"

"Enough!" Verniy tightened her grip even further. "You're just hurting yourself, Inazuma!"

Inazuma screamed. The pressure inflicted on her injured shoulder was just too much. "I… I don't care! All of this… is your fault!"

In the verge of passing out, she dispensed a depth charge beneath her feet. She heard a gasp from Verniy just as her senses were overwhelmed completely.

She blacked out for a moment, but she was surprisingly unscathed from the explosion.

Curious, Inazuma opened her eyes and stumbled upon a tearful face of the silver-haired destroyer. She felt something dripping on her arm. As she focused her eyes a bit to the right, her brain finally registered the bloody stump on Verniy's left shoulder. The horrid sight immediately broke her into tears.

"Hi-Hibiki," she began, "I… I didn't mean to—!"

She felt a prick on the side of her neck, but it took her a few more seconds to realize what the Navy destroyer just did to her.

"N-No! Stop it, Hibiki!"

"I'm sorry," Verniy breathed out, tossing out the spent syringe into the water.

She began to panic. She struggled to push Verniy off her body, only to find out that her strength was quickly fading away.

"P-Please… I'm begging you!"

Verniy bit her lip, pinning the hysterical destroyer down with her remaining arm.

"She needs me! I don't want her to die!"

Inazuma thrashed some more. All the rage powering her body had left her, but she felt like her chest was going to burst. Her limbs seemed like they were set ablaze.

No amount of screaming helped in easing the pain ravaging the walls of heart.

"Hibiki… she's my best friend! Please!"

The awful sensation reached its peak, crashing down on her like a tidal wave.

At the wake of the destructive deluge, her consciousness began to erode.

Her body rendered useless, she spent the last few moments muttering Akatsuki's name.

Almost as if praying to each and every higher power known to man, she chanted her desperate pleas over and over.

Over and over until the soundless darkness consumed her whole.

* * *

She was but a fragment of her own conscience, drifting into the hollow expanse beneath her feet.

There was no destination in sight—only the bottomless abyss staring back into her eyes.

Slowly, she was being drawn into the pit. She flailed her arms in a vain attempt to steer her course.

_No, we can't be so sure yet! It's just too early to assume that!_

Another intrusive voice in her head. She was getting sick of them.

_Look… enough with you sulking there. None of this was your fault._

It was the commander's voice, only a bit younger.

_Those Abyssal monsters can mess up radio signals, right? We just need to hope that they were able to escape safely._

_Until then, you need to stay put for a while. Don't do anything stupid._

The last remark made her chuckle a bit. Even in her dreams, he didn't seem to lose his sarcastic touch.

But it didn't end there and made the cryptic statements more confusing:

_You've definitely seen things that you weren't supposed to know, and it doesn't take a genius to tell that it's only a matter of time before they come for you too._

The drip feed of information only succeeded in putting her on edge. Things that she weren't supposed to know? What could possibly—

_So, promise me._

_ In return, I'll keep you safe from them. Whatever it takes…_

She looked around the void she was floating in as if to seek more answers from the voice echoing in her head. What she gained instead was a sudden episode of vertigo.

Her body became numb. Her consciousness dimmed to an inevitable slumber once again, but she found some relief that she was able to infer one important detail out of this particular instance.

But considering what was waiting for her back in the real world, finding out the truth wouldn't matter anymore.

* * *

Inazuma was struck with a sudden headache, stirring her mind and body with an invigorating spark.

Slowly, her senses came back to her.

She could feel her surroundings shudder every now and then.

She could hear voices ahead from where she was sitting. They seemed to be discussing the recent developments unfolding in Orion, but she could only pick up bits and pieces of words over the sharp ringing resonating inside her head.

She could feel that her limbs and body were bound tightly on her seat. It made her heart race a little, but it would be imprudent of her to attempt an escape in her current state.

She slowly opened her eyes and noticed that her clothes had been fixed. The repulsive stench of gore and death that had permeated her body was gone. A bit of aching still persisted in her shoulder, but her damage control crew reported that her open wounds were mostly patched up and on their way to full recovery.

The previous turn of events felt like a distant nightmare, only that she could remember everything so vividly.

"I hope you don't mind that I cleaned you up."

Inazuma raised her head and let her eyes wander around the small compartment until they settled on two familiar fleet girls standing by the hatch. "H-How long was I out?" she asked.

"Approximately three and a half hours," Verniy replied. "How are you feeling?"

She breathed out a sigh as the ringing in her head subsided. "The repairs are coming along slowly, but I feel so… exhausted…"

"Good, that means the calming agent is working its magic. I suggest that you take plenty of rest—abusing your core engine with Overdrive will only bring serious repercussions to your body." She turned back to the Kagerou-class destroyer. "Nowaki, can you monitor the channels for a while?"

"Alright, but I didn't give you that exoskeleton frame just so you could strain yourself some more."

Inazuma noticed Verniy's missing leg only after Nowaki pointed out the augmentation module. She must have lost it along with her left arm in the depth charge blast.

"Watching over an enervated destroyer doesn't count as a strenuous job."

"You say that, but she was able to catch all of us off guard."

"I won't make that same mistake again."

Nowaki glanced at Inazuma. "What she did back there is surely impressive. That alone should make them think twice disbanding another Stinger division in the following weeks."

"Don't hold your breath for it."

"Of course." Nowaki stepped outside and gave her a wave. "Later then."

The hatch hissed and closed itself with a loud chunk. "Where are we going?" Inazuma asked.

"We're taking you to one of our auxiliary outposts to the north."

"Why?"

"It's not safe at Orion as we speak."

"So it's true that the Abyssals are attacking the island again."

Verniy nodded. "The timing suggests that it's a counterattack in response to our assault in the Arbiter's base."

"We've learned that an abyssal group is helping the Freedom Arbiters with their naval operations here in Caffelatte, so that could be it."

"I see…"

The two of them averted their eyes as silence choked the air in the compartment. No one dared to speak, but they kept stealing glances at each other. Each second seemed to drag on for hours, and Inazuma thought that it would've been better if they had kept her unconscious during the trip.

Growing more impatient and uncomfortable, Inazuma decided that she would be the first to break the standstill:

"D-Do you need something else from me? I... I want to be alone for now…"

Verniy paused for a moment, staring as if she was studying the face of the captured destroyer. "Aren't you going to ask the whereabouts of Akatsuki and your commander?"

Inazuma weakly shook her head, holding back a sob. "D-Does it matter if I knew where they are right now?!"

Her expression didn't change as she took her hat away and looked up to the ceiling. "I'm sorry."

She balled her hands. "Why are you apologizing?"

"I've realized that I should take responsibility for Akatsuki's death."

"Y-You've already won, but you're still mocking me like that." Tears welled up from her eyes. "I never knew you could be so cruel, Hibiki."

"No." Verniy looked at her. "If that abyssal battleship didn't appear earlier, this wouldn't have happened."

"Battleship?" Her rising anger began to recede as she recalled their earlier encounter. "You mean Reizel? Was your fleet trying to ambush us during that time?"

The silver-haired girl gave her another curt nod. "We have intercepted an encrypted transmission that tipped us off of your destination, but it turned out to be a trap set up by your commander."

"A trap?"

"You were supposed to rendezvous with some fleet girls from Basilica." She paused. "But we didn't realize that an abyssal unit was already prowling in the area. Careful as ever, he had also enlisted their help to impede our progress."

"We didn't know most of the details either. That's just how he is."

"You can't blame him. We have eyes and ears everywhere."

"I know."

As their conversation ground to a halt, the awkward atmosphere crept back into the compartment once more. Nearly a minute passed before Verniy spoke again:

"What are you planning now, Inazuma?"

There was it again. She was definitely doing it on purpose and Inazuma couldn't stand it. "I already told you that it doesn't matter anymore!"

She chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure you can come up with a better lie than that."

"S-Stop that! Just leave me alo—"

"I asked you a question, Destroyer Inazuma." Her tone had become more authorative and daunting. "What do you intend to do now? Speak out your thoughts—your true feelings."

It surprised Inazuma for a second, but she didn't let herself be intimidated. "Why do you keep asking the obvious?!" she cried. "Yes, I want to help Commander! I want to help my friends! I just know that they're still fighting out there, but I'm stuck here unable to do anything!"

It was Verniy's turn to be surprised. "How did you… I haven't told you anything yet…" Her startled look disappeared as she closed her eyes. "Hmm, you do place a lot of faith on your comrades."

Inazuma lowered her head, letting her tears drip to her skirt. "Akatsuki once told me that I should always set my eyes on the future, especially in the times of tragedy and despair. Commander kept telling us the same thing too." She shook her head. "I know that I'm just a wishy-washy destroyer that could barely stand up on her own two feet, but I have also a promise to keep."

The silver-haired destroyer raised an eyebrow. "A promise, you say? But all of that is irrelevant now since you've already given up."

"Then release me!" she spat. "I'll show you just how wrong you are!"

Verniy smirked. "You're talking nonsense, Inazuma. Do you think I would release a prisoner for something as petty as that?" She approached her and lifted her chin. "Unlike you, I'm not selfish enough to forsake the trust of my comrades."

The burning rage in her chest returned as she struggled against her bindings. "Hibiki!"

"Seeing that you're a poor judge of your own abilities, those words don't hold any merit." She turned around and began walking towards the hatch. "You are hardly a threat to any of us now."

Inazuma drew into her mag-ion reserves, cloaking her body in a golden glow. "I told you… not to estimate me!"

Her fury gave her the power she needed to break free from the elastic bands and lunge at Verniy, but the silver-haired destroyer spun on her heels and intercepted her fist with her hand.

"Interesting," she said, smiling. "I'm seeing the resemblance now."

Verniy suddenly moved under her arm and jabbed her stomach once. Inazuma reeled backwards, winded from the swift blow. The silver-haired destroyer grabbed her neck and slammed her to the wall.

A few moments later, Nowaki and Michishio suddenly rushed inside the compartment. "See what I mean?" the former said.

The blonde fleet girl just shrugged. "Well, looks like she has this under control," she said. "But man, this Inazuma's really persistent. Just what kind of training did she go through under the Liberator's command?"

"Yeah, it's for the best if we make her unconscious now. She has suffered enough to let this go on."

Verniy pushed her hand down on Inazuma's neck. "Don't struggle."

Inazuma began to panic as she saw her free hand holding a syringe. "Hi-Hibiki… ! No!"

She leaned close to her face. "Commander Yuu is currently on his way back to Orion," she whispered in her ear. "We don't know what he's planning, but you better catch up to him quick."

"H-Huh?" She tensed up when she felt a prick on the side of her neck. "Why are you… ?"

"Your friends that we have captured are in good hands, so I want you to focus on your mission. Commodore Minako hopes that you can catch up to him before the situation gets worse."

The heavy feeling that was sapping her strength was quickly fading. Her fairy crew recognized the substance as well, using it to flush out the sedatives in her system much quicker. _An express repair serum...!_

Verniy glanced over her shoulder. "And you two might want to stand back for a bit."

Her destroyer companions complied, taking a hesitant backward step. "Wait," Michishio said, "what are you—"

Inazuma gasped as an explosion erupted from her left, filling the compartment with chilling air. The hatch automatically closed before anybody else could enter the cargo space.

"Now you've done it! Niro's going to roast our asses when we get back there!"

Ignoring the Asashio-class destroyer, Verniy pulled Inazuma next to the gaping hole. "You don't need to be too concerned. I'll take full responsibility for this."

Michishio directed her glare to the floor. "Th-That's not the point."

"So you're not going to stop me?"

"W-Well… we dodged the bullet yesterday when she helped us out with that crazy battleship."

Nowaki stepped forward, looking uncertain. "But still, you have to think this through more carefully!"

Armed marines suddenly poured into the compartment. Among them was a fleet girl who aimed her forearm turret at Inazuma. "It seems that Captain Tatsuki's hunch was right after all," the light cruiser Yahagi said. "I won't have to report this to our superiors if you end this ridiculous prank now."

The destroyer in question simply placed herself in front of their prisoner. "Inazuma, ready to jump?"

"W-Without a parachute?!"

"Seven thousand feet is just about average."

"B-But that's—I never took free fall deployment drills before!"

"Then now's as good a time as any for your first jump."

Yahagi frowned. "What you are trying to accomplish here is pointless—a waste of everyone's time."

"And you're assuming that I'm not going to buy her time to escape." Smiling, Verniy turned to face Inazuma. "Go! Show everyone that the Akatsuki destroyers are not to be trifled with!"

Inazuma swallowed her unease in one big gulp and returned a small smile. "I will."

Just as Yahagi rushed at them, Inazuma quickly made the leap out of the transport aircraft backwards. Two energy spikes burst out, causing the aircraft to pitch slightly to its starboard side. To her relief, the enormous signatures disappeared just as quick, and there was no exchange of gunfire.

_Thank you, Hibiki. I won't waste this second chance!_

As she plummeted back to the surface, she summoned out her core structure and armaments for a quick checkup. Her equipment prior to her capture were all still in working condition, but she would have to make the most of them with all of her spare cards taken away.

A few hundred feet before touchdown, she righted herself in a crouching position, focusing most of her mag-ions in her legs. She set her system to Overdrive and steeled herself for the impact.

"H-Here goes!"

An explosive clap erupted as her landing produced a massive ripple outwards. Her limbs felt numb for a few seconds, but she was glad that she managed to pull it off safely.

She looked up to the sky and took note of the Navy aircraft's current course. Without her terminal, she would be searching for her friends blindly, but it was a problem that she should only concern herself with after reaching Orion.

As her bridge fairies were done calculating their current bearing, Inazuma set off to reach the frontier island as quickly as her body would allow her.


	15. Dusk's Reckoning, Part 2

**13b—Dusk's Reckoning, Part 2**

* * *

By the time she entered Orion's waters, it was already daybreak.

She could see fighter planes circling the island and the occasional shelling from further south. Mag-ion signature readings also informed her of multiple small-scale engagements scattered within the island's perimeter. As she couldn't afford to waste any more time, perhaps she could use the ongoing abyssal raid to her advantage.

However, sneaking through the island's defenses unnoticed would be impossible when they had been already expecting her arrival all along. A squadron of planes were launched from the island, heading towards her.

Forcing her core engine at flank speed, Inazuma made a beeline to the rocky western coast of the island. The planes didn't hesitate as well as they made their steep descent, unloading their bombs on her path.

Inazuma swerved, hopped, and tumbled from the wake of their relentless offensive. While her shield proved to be an ever-reliable buffer against the force of the blasts, the repeated near misses were starting to slow her down. The aircraft relished on their uncontested superiority, barely giving her time to catch her breath.

Racing through the smoke and downpour, Inazuma found her window as the planes ceased their runs and flew past her. She picked up to full speed again, but she saw another squadron heading her way. _If this keeps up… no, I have to keep moving!_

The whining of planes from behind made her hair stand on end as she looked over her shoulder. The first squadron had broken into two groups, approaching her from both sides. The flanking units snapped in position and started to drop torpedoes along her course.

Inazuma skidded to a stop as the torpedoes just ahead of her detonated into a massive wall of seawater. Hearing the fiendish howls from above, she looked up in horror to the bombers swooping in for the kill. She might have avoided the pincer maneuver, but there was no escaping this follow up.

Wishing herself good luck, she brought her protective field over her head and braced herself for the imminent pain. Luckily for her, the chain of explosions only consumed the space above her. Not a single bomb came even close to her field.

_Wha… ?_ Amidst the growing gunfire, she looked up and saw the second squadron of planes passing through the smoke over her head. _Messers… and some stukas… ?_

The new arrivals immediately secured the airspace, while most of the fighter planes chased after her aggressors and showered them with lead.

She caught glimpse of the insignia on a messer's fuselage. "Th-Those are Peacekeeper planes!"

One stuka descended and circled her body, and its pilot opened its cockpit. "Hallo, Miss Inazuma! Glad we made it in time!"

Inazuma tried to follow the tiny plane with her eyes, but she gave up after the second turn. "U-Um, thank you! Did Miss Graf Zeppelin send you to help me?"

"Aye! We'll help you cross through the battle just ahead!"

The ever-present mist around the island muddled her view of the shoreline, but she could still pick out outlines of the combatants ravaging the area with cannon fire. This particular engagement made Inazuma uneasy as she could feel one large abyssal signature in there.

"Eyes on the prize, gals! I wanna drown in ice cream tonight!"

The stuka pilot closed her cockpit again and zoomed off to the sky, forming a loose diamond formation with the rest of her friends. Inazuma quickly followed suit.

As she drew near the shore, she finally saw Navy fleet girls and humanoid abyssal ships locked in a close-range skirmish. The dive bombers seized the golden chance to swerve in and unleash their wrath across the shore, but half of them were turned into a blaze of scraps upon as they were about to recover from their respective dives. More Navy aircraft appeared from the east, forcing Graf Zeppelin's planes to scatter out of formation.

Inazuma pushed her core engine to flank speed once again, but the source of her worries, a Light Cruiser Demon, took notice of her approach and swatted away an attacking fleet girl with a backhanded strike. She distanced herself from the battle with a single graceful leap, landing ahead of the destroyer.

Among the fleet girls, the heavy cruiser Takao fired a salvo at the unsuspecting abyssal ship. Upon scoring a direct hit, the light cruiser Kinu rushed into the fiery haze with a spiked mace in hand. A sharp clang blared, and the strong outward burst of wind revealed that the Light Cruiser Demon, barely damaged from the salvo, had blocked the attack with her gauntlet. The enemy cruiser spun around and landed a brutish uppercut into the red-haired girl's stomach. As the fleet girl collapsed to her knees, she sent her flying back to her friends with a kick.

The demon-class ship faced Inazuma again. "I'm sure we sunk all those pesky patrol units on the way here," she said, folding her arms. "But what's this? Your signature feels familiar somehow."

The destroyer, now standing on dry land, repeatedly glanced at an uphill road behind the Light Cruiser Demon. She only needed to make a break for the narrow path to get further into the island. On the other hand, a single misstep would mean the end of her.

"Don't ignore me, little shrimp."

Inazuma gasped as the abyssal cruiser dashed towards her. She ducked just as the enemy thrust out her razor-sharp claws and sprinted past her. "Oh, so we're playing this game now?"

She looked to her left just in time to see Takao bearing her turrets at her. She pumped more mag-ions into her legs, launching herself into the rocky pathway a second after hearing the collective boom of the heavy cruiser's cannons. Dirt and sand poured down as she quickly picked herself up and scrambled to safety.

She ran up the slope until the terrain leveled in the midst of the woodland, and beyond the road was a worn-down fence enclosing an abandoned depot. She leaped inside the area and immediately went inside a two-story warehouse, hiding behind a row of crates.

Simply outrunning her pursuers wasn't possible at all, given how quickly they were able to close in on her. Hearing someone's footsteps, she recalled her core structure, got down on all fours, and suppressed her mag-ion production.

_While I'm hoping that Miss Graf Zeppelin and others will be able to find me quickly, I have to come up with something in the meantime… !_

"It's no use hiding from me, shrimpy." The abyssal cruiser's singsong voice echoed in the building, causing the destroyer to shiver a bit. "I will find you."

Inazuma's heart raced as the abyssal ship's footsteps and mag-ion signature seemingly disappeared. Moments later, she heard a batch of footsteps. "I'm positive that they went through here." It was Takao's voice this time. "You girls search upstairs. Akigumo and Umikaze, help me sweep this floor."

"What if they've already moved on?"

"We have reconnaissance planes observing all ground movement for us. Those two would have to leave the plantation at some point if they want to get anywhere close to the base proper."

Inazuma produced two depth charges and took a peek at the approaching fleet girls. Making sure to mask her movement in the shadows, she tossed the first bomb near the open entrance. The earthshaking explosion knocked the doors out of their frame, while the surrounding stacks of empty containers disintegrated into dust and splinters.

Utilizing the smoke as cover, she approached Umikaze from behind and shot her point-blank with a shell dart. The silver-haired girl let out a whimper as her body succumbed to the paralyzing shock. Akigumo noticed them and took aim with her portable turret. A saffron light flashed as Inazuma summoned out her core structure again, flinging her anchor to quickly disarm the other destroyer.

Inazuma closed in at her startled opponent and fired another dart to subdue her second victim. Sensing movement to her left, she retracted her anchor and used it to block an incoming swing from Takao. However, the blow sent her rocketing through the warehouse wall until her back hit a particularly sturdy tree on the depot's outskirts.

Pain shot through her arm as she propped herself up against the tree. Using her left arm in the clash was a grave mistake.

"Going by the report, some level of resistance was to be expected," the heavy cruiser said, walking towards her. "But it would seem that we have underestimated our objective. In spite of that, I now see that the Liberator deems you too valuable for him to send those abyssal ships as escorts."

Inazuma grimaced as she saw the other fleet girls emerging from the warehouse. "I… I don't really know what everyone's talking about," she said, "M-Me? Important… ?"

Takao stopped a few feet before her, slamming the tip of her club against the ground. "If you surrender now, I promise that we won't go the trouble of disabling those legs of yours."

She glared at her, raising the barrels of her shoulder turret. "I-I'm not finished yet!"

The raven-haired cruiser just smiled. "I find it hard to believe that you, of all fleet girls, would stare down at me so intensely like that." She lifted her giant club over her shoulder. "Well then, I won't hold ba—"

Screams and gunfire erupted behind Takao as a thick smoke screen consumed the rest of the Navy fleet girls. The distraction allowed Inazuma to spring away from the heavy cruiser. Takao aimed her portside turrets at the destroyer, but a monstrous maw lunged out of the creeping smoke and grabbed her body before she could do anything else, slamming her against the same tree Inazuma had collided with.

Takao cried out in pain as the floating abyssal familiar, still generating suffocating fumes, squeezed her with its jagged teeth. Several silky-thin appendages slithered out of its mouth and invaded her turrets, forcing her to recall her core structure.

Inazuma panicked upon seeing blood staining the familiar's teeth and accidentally inhaled the noxious fumes. While in a coughing fit, she scooped up the club from the ground and swung it sideways a few times. "L-Let her go!"

The familiar only hissed as the club bounced against its sleek exoskeleton. She did a bit of damage, mostly thanks to the spikes, but it felt like she was only doing more harm on the Navy fleet girl.

She cleared her head and channeled her mag-ions into the weapon. Suddenly, the miniature spikes of the club formed fewer but larger points. Feeling a little bit more confident, she parted her legs to distribute her weight better and swung it overhead.

She put all the power that she could muster in that swing, but her club only managed to cleave through the smoke and unearth the ground. The familiar's signature had vanished. "Wh-Wha… ? Where did it—"

"The next time you try and save someone, make sure that you know how to save yourself first."

Dread's freezing grip seized her as she felt another presence behind her. Still, she wrestled for control of her body as she forced herself to turn around.

Beneath the smoky veil were two crimson eyes staring down at her. "I remember that pathetic look on your face," the Light Cruiser Demon said. "We've met before, haven't we?"

Inazuma had only ever met one of her kind in her career so far, so there was no mistaking it. "A-Ah… !"

Her lips formed a grin as she leaned close to her. "You were one of those brats escorting that supply fleet."

She began to backpedal while the cruiser just mirrored her steps. "Wh-Why are you attacking the island again?"

"Attacking?" The demon-class cruiser blinked before giving her a sinister smile. "No, we're cleaning up those insubordinate thrash that fled here."

She suddenly stopped, glancing at Takao propping herself up against the tree. "What do you mean?"

"An insurgent group within our ranks has aligned themselves with the humans, but I'm sure it isn't a problem that you should care about at all."

"A-Are you talking about the Freedom Arbiters?"

As the breeze began to wash the smoke screen away, the Light Cruiser Demon turned around and approached the groaning heavy cruiser. "Never bothered to know—they seem to be not that different from the rest." She elbowed the heavy cruiser back to the ground and stomped on her stomach. "But allow me to ask the questions now: what do you mean when you said that we're helping that destroyer girl? You two are on the same side, right?"

"D-Don't play dumb!" Takao replied. "The Liberator sent you to assist her!"

Inazuma's eyes widened. _H-He did… ?_

"And that would explain why you girls are in a hurry to leave the island." She gave the writhing heavy cruiser another heavy heel. "But I'm still impressed that you got it half right."

"Wh-What? Is that true?"

She sighed. "I was just told to look out for the Liberator's right-hand fleet girl, but this certain scatterbrained maniac thought it was a good idea to hand the job over to me just because I've already encountered his fleet once!" She put her hands on her hips, assuming an extremely irritated expression. "Well, not that I care if that fleet girl gets herself killed! I would've appreciated it if she had given me a ship class to go with!"

For a moment, the two fleet girls were left speechless. "I-Is this some kind of joke?" the heavy cruiser said. "Are you telling me that you didn't even know the fleet girl who you were supposed to escort?"

"If she does happen to be the Liberator's right-hand, then she must be already strong enough to not get sunk on her way here!" She growled. "In other words, I'm wasting my precious time over someone who doesn't even need my help!"

Inazuma found it hard to believe, but she didn't really have any other choice either. "Th-Then you're really here to… help me?"

"Help? Hardly. I only came here to confirm this one thing that kept bugging me since I was given this assignment."

"A-And that is… ?"

She looked at the destroyer, eyes seething with contempt. "Were you holding back that night we fought each other?"

"N-No, I—"

"Tch, looks can really be deceiving! I would've found it out personally if I hadn't left your fleet for those second-class wretches!"

The abyssal ship's mood swing caused her mag-ion levels to erratically increase. "U-Um," Inazuma uttered, raising her hands in front of her chest, "please calm down…"

"But I'm still not fully convinced!" After giving Takao a final stomp, she stormed towards Inazuma and grabbed her by the collar. "Why don't we settle this right now?"

"S-Settle?" She waved her hands frantically. "H-Hold on! I just want to find—"

The Light Cruiser Oni lifted her in the air in one violent motion. "No one would complain if we make this quick!"

Inazuma knew that it was imperative to diffuse the cruiser's growing temper before it reaches a point of no return, but the next turn of events had conspired to hinder her progress as more Navy fleet girls showed up in the compound, heading towards them.

"I'll take you all on! Make this interesting for me!"

The abyssal ship stomped her right foot, generating a ripple of energy outwards. It happened to be the catalyst to conjure the cruiser's own ethereal field, which slowly drained the life of the surrounding flora. Unlike the ones produced by installation-types, her sphere of influence was smaller yet condensed with mag-ions.

Its true purpose made itself known as her ghastly familiar burst out of the ground and intercepted the fleet girls who just entered its territory. The familiar moved around its master's field as if the withering ground was seawater, giving it a substantial edge over its enemies.

The Light Cruiser Demon, bathed in an azure glow, chuckled. "What do you have to say about that, shrimp?"

"B-Behind you!"

Inazuma deployed a protective field just as Takao let loose two consecutive half salvos, knocking her and the abyssal ship into the thicket. She was in a daze for a moment from all the rolling they did down to the bottom of a slope, but she was suddenly jolted back with a heavy-handed slap from the demon-class cruiser.

"Get off me!"

She went pale as she just realized the cozy cushions caressing her face a few moments ago. "A-Ah, sorry!" she said, jumping to her feet. "I'm so—"

"Get down!" She suddenly grabbed the destroyer's neckerchief and pulled her to the ground. More explosive shells peppered the area around them. "Nrgh… her damage control works fast!"

As Inazuma lay down next to her, she noticed a gash on the cruiser's arm. "Y-You're bleeding!"

The Light Cruiser Demon had an incredulous look on her face as she stared into the destroyer's eyes. "Are you really his right-hand fleet girl?!" She sighed, standing up. "At this rate, we won't be able to get the rematch we deserve!"

"Stop that…"

"Stop what?"

"I'll never become the person in your mind." She shook her head. "I'm neither a warrior nor a soldier at heart—I just fight to protect people."

A blur of blue soared above their heads, landing a few feet before them. "You say such things," Takao said, "but you still chose to side with a traitor like him. So where does your loyalty exactly lie?"

Inazuma stood up, avoiding the penetrating gaze of the Navy cruiser. "M-My loyalty… ?"

"It's clear to me that your heart has yet to make a decision. Your trust towards him isn't fully set in stone."

"Shrimpy, don't listen to her," the abyssal cruiser said. "She's just toying with your head."

"Stay out of this! Unlike you, she still can be reasoned with!"

"But can't you see that she's just holding back? At full power, I bet that she could easily tear you apart limb from limb."

Takao simply ignored the abyssal ship and extended a hand at the destroyer. "Inazuma, please consider your next course of action! You can still set things right! You shouldn't fight for the Liberator's selfish whims!"

_Selfish?_

Yes, the commander had always been like that to everyone around him.

He kept everything to himself. He acted on his plans without regard for the opinions of his colleagues. He was even more than willing to put his friends in harm's way to get what he wanted.

But his selfishness was the reason why she chose to stick around him to begin with.

She was already so close in finding out his secrets, and she couldn't afford to give up now.

She had already sacrificed so much to get this far, after all.

_That's why… that's why…_

"…I will prove everybody wrong, Miss Takao! I have to do this!"

Pulling back her outstretched arm, Takao took a stance as she readied her turrets. "If that's your answer, then I—"

The ground in front of the heavy cruiser erupted as the Light Cruiser Oni's familiar attempted to seize her again with its mouth once again, but Takao deftly evaded the beast and sent it flying away with a cannon blast.

The demon-class cruiser herself started walking towards the Navy fleet girl. "Hmph... go ahead, shrimp. Your other friends are almost here."

"F-Friends?"

"I can wait for our rematch."

The sudden shift in her tone caught her off guard. "Wh-What about you?"

Her shoulders heaved as if to express her disappointment. "Still playing humble, huh? Don't be so full of yourself though— you won't always encounter opponents like me."

A shaky breath escaped Inazuma's lips. She had no time to get sulky all of a sudden. "I-I know…"

"By my own hands, I will be the one who will take your pathetic life. Until then, don't get yourself killed, you hear? "

"O-Of course!" She began running back to a wooden flight of stairs leading back to the top of the slope, but she turned around again and made a quick bow. "U-Um, thank you for protecting me earlier. My shield couldn't take a salvo that powerful, so—"

"Ugh, just go already!"

"Y-Yes!"

* * *

Inazuma was short of breath as she finally found her way out of the plantation and into the vast rice fields stretching up to the base of the Mintaka Hill Ridge. Noting that the other fleet girls failed to catch up to her, it only meant that she was able to elude the eyes of their scout planes. Without the lush treetops covering her tracks though, she seemed to have reached the end of the road.

Furthermore, she saw a group of APCs gathering next to a granary just ahead. Fleet girls poured out of their hatches and entered through the sea of trees, save for a larger one which parked itself near her hiding place. Assuming the worst, she prepared her turrets as she heard the vehicle's passenger hatch open.

A fleet girl poked her head out, squinting at her surroundings. Inazuma gasped. "M-Miss Urakaze!"

"What a relief," the blue-haired fleet girl breathed out, motioning her over. "Come on, hurry!"

She sprinted to the APC and dived into the compartment. The hatch closed automatically as the vehicle started moving again. "Didja get lost?" Urakaze asked, helping her up. "We were told that a friend of his was supposed to help you cross the shore…"

Nodding, Inazuma could still feel the ongoing battle near the depot. "She stayed behind to hold the other fleet girls off."

The APC's cockpit hatch opened, and the light cruiser Kiso peered from her seat. "Is that right? It won't take long for them to discover us then." She faced the vehicle's dashboard. "Alright, we're clear to go. Buy us a bit more time!"

Inazuma heard a familiar voice from the panel's transceiver:

"Understood," Nerine replied. "Marvie, do your worst."

Before she could ask what was that about, a sudden severe headache tormented her yet again. "I-Inazuma, what's wrong?" Urakaze started to panic, grabbing the secretary's shoulders. "K-Kiso, come over here!"

The piercing static from the transceiver seemed to be amplifying the ringing in her ears. She could barely move her body, so Urakaze and Kiso had to set her down in one of the seats. "Speak up, Inazuma," the light cruiser said. "Do you know what's causing it?"

"I… I don't know! It just… happens every now and then… but—!"

The APC suddenly shuddered and buckled into the ground as if it was violently struck from the roof. At the same time, the painful sensation in her head peaked, causing her blackout for a few seconds.

As she came around, two ghostly faces of her friends greeted her. "Wh-What just happened?" Urakaze asked.

Kiso ran back to the cockpit and peered through the front window. "I need an explanation now! She was only supposed to deploy a wide-area interference field!"

"She did," the abyssal cruiser replied. "We just added a little extra for her trouble."

"That low-altitude emission took out the field generators! The island's completely defenseless!"

"Do you not realize that the odds are stacked against us? We're just tipping the scale a bit to our favor, and the Liberator knows this."

"What is he thinking?! He's going to get thousands of civilians killed!"

The Ne-class cruiser chuckled. "As if those generators did a good job protecting the island's populace from the last raid. Don't get too cranky though—Marvie already replaced them with her own special barrier."

Kiso took a deep breath. "Holding the entire island as hostage isn't going to win him anyone's favor."

"And you still act like he cared about everyone's opinion."

She let out a defeated sigh. "Point taken."

"Hmm, what else?" She gave them a short pause. "I should also inform you that we've already located Jintsuu. She was being held at a separate detention center to the north of the mountain range."

"Sendai pulled it off then," Kiso said.

"There's only one problem right now. A marine platoon, which includes several fleet girls, is currently transporting her to the harbor. If they managed to escape the island, we might as well forget about her."

"But why Jintsuu?" Urakaze asked.

"Whoever is behind this," Kiso replied, checking the map on the dashboard monitor, "they must know that Yuu cannot afford to abandon his fleet girl comrades. We're talking about a man who prioritized the safety of a corpse before anyone else."

Inazuma's heart almost jumped out of her chest. "A-Akatsuki! Wh-Where did the commander take her?!"

"She's already in Mica's care. They left the island with that demon-class carrier half an hour ago. Your commander wanted to ensure that the revival process wouldn't be interrupted."

Tears streamed down the destroyer's cheeks. "S-So… there's still hope… ?"

The light cruiser looked over her shoulder with a grim expression. "They kept the body fresh, but it's been quite some time since her time of death."

She clenched her teeth to stifle her sobbing. The commander did everything he could for her friend, and now was her turn to return the favor. "W-We need to catch up to him quickly!" she said, drying her tears.

Kiso faced the two destroyers, nodding. "That was the plan, but I'm sure we'll need air cover along the way."

A new voice was heard from the transceiver:

"I'm aware," Graf Zeppelin said. "Some of my planes didn't get caught in the emission, but I'll send more planes as soon as I'm able."

"Protecting Marvie should be your first priority," Nerine said, "but we'll appreciate any help you can spare."

"Understood. You can count on us."

Kiso hopped into the driver seat. "Let's get moving!"

The APC roared as they hurried to the main road leading to the Alnilam Passage. The marines stationed in the area were in total disarray from the emission that cut them off from the main headquarters. Inazuma thought the situation worked out in their favor as they were immediately given entry into the tunnel. It also helped that Kiso's mere presence made their cover more convincing.

As they reached the northern exit of the passage, they found themselves in a high-speed pursuit against two military jeeps waiting by the gate's outpost. One of the jeeps peppered them with its machine gun, tearing through the APC's armor with ease.

Inazuma, sustaining a shallow cut in her arm, reignited mag-ions around her body to protect herself from the barrage. "We have to shake them off!"

"Open the hatches, Kiso!" Urakaze shouted, climbing up the gunner's hatch. "If they hit this thing's fuel tank, we're—"

"I know, I know! I'm just so busy trying not to ram ourselves into a random bear or tree!"

"B-Bears?!" Inazuma uttered. "Th-There are bears here?!"

"Ngh, sorry! Hold on tight!"

The light cruiser's warning came too late as the vehicle veered hard to the right, throwing Inazuma to the other side of the compartment. She gasped as the passenger hatch opened up, revealing armored soldiers hot on their trail.

One marine immediately closed the gap with a forward boost of his auxiliary pack and managed to get onboard. He brought out a combat baton and slammed its pointed end into her chest. The baton turned out to have a mag-ion diffuser installed, weakening her body's protective field. She could feel the blade inching closer to her skin as the man pushed down with all his strength.

Inazuma simply brought out her shield turret and shot the man with a shell dart to subdue him. As she kicked him out of the compartment, the rest of his allies fired away with their guns.

"M-Miss Kiso!" she cried, projecting a field with her shield unit. "M-Maybe opening the rear hatch was a bad idea!"

She heard an explosion from the left, and she lost her footing again as the APC lurched violently. She caught sight of an overturned jeep just before they made another sharp turn. "See, depth charges did the trick!" Urakaze said. "Tryin' to take those jeeps out with the gun you brought was takin' us too much time!"

"I don't care!" Kiso shouted. "I already told you, no killing!"

The blue-haired destroyer tossed another depth charge at the pursuing marines, causing them to knock away from the sheer intensity of the blast. "Can't promise that! They know what they're gettin' into!"

"Hold on, I'm taking this call!"

Inazuma let out a sigh of relief as she stood up, but she was thrown out of her feet again with yet another sudden turn of the armored carrier. She ended up rolling close to the cockpit hatch.

"A-Are you tryin' to one-up Tanikaze?!" Urakaze cried.

"Listen, Nerine told me that the platoon shifted course and is now heading to the northeastern observatory!"

"Wh-Why there?" Inazuma asked. "Aren't they trying to escape?"

"They probably realized that we're putting up a better fight than they've anticipated. It's about time we get to the bottom of this."

"Kiso, we have planes at our six," Urakaze said, sliding down from the gunner hatch. "Those are ours, right?"

"Yeah, Graf Zeppelin launched them just now."

"G-Good then. I saw Navy planes bearin' down on us—one o'clock."

"They just don't know when to give up." Kiso stomped on the accelerator, causing the two destroyers to grab the door frame of the cockpit. "Urakaze, be a darling and get back out there in case a plane or two slips through ours."

She pouted. "Sittin' in there hurts while you drive 'round like that!"

"Have you considered having your chest toned down?"

"Wh-What? Well, sorry for bein' so—"

A familiar squeaky voice responded through the radio:

"Nah, leave it to us!" the stuka pilot said. "If they can't even take down this bird, I doubt that they can hit you down there!"

The final stretch of their drive was accompanied by the chaotic ensemble of carrier-born planes wrestling for supremacy. Some Navy planes were able to drop the occasional bombs, but none of them even came close to hit their target, only ravaging the landscape with the blasts.

Inazuma's group had their concerns on the imminent threat waiting for them at the gate of the observatory grounds, where the marine platoon had reportedly formed a defensive blockade. As they approached the compound's entrance, Nerine called them again:

"Took you three long enough. I'll wait for you in the observatory's foyer."

"What's happening in there right now?" Kiso asked, peering through the broken windshield.

"The Liberator's group already went ahead. I stayed behind to make sure that the new arrivals will think twice about setting foot in the building."

"New arrivals?"

"A squad of fleet girls separate from the platoon. They're currently surveying the situation from the grounds as we speak, so I advise that you avoid engaging them and head straight to the observatory."

"Affirmative. We just need someone to clear out the transport vehicles blocking the gate."

"Leave the cleaning duty to us," the stuka pilot replied. "Take 'em out, gals!"

As the bomber planes began their descent, Kiso made the APC zoom towards the blockade. "A-Are you sure about this?!" Inazuma cried, hugging the roof hatch's ladder.

"I told you already," the light cruiser replied. "Hesitation has no place in the battlefield!"

The bombs soon fell and paved the path ahead with an infernal blaze, sweeping away all obstacles on the road. Inazuma steeled herself as they pushed through the curtain of flames.

"Kiso, another roadblock ahead!" Urakaze shouted from the gunner hatch.

Three more bombers plummeted towards the second makeshift barricade and released their payload. The following explosions opened up the way for them instantly. "Alright, time to get in there and—" A dull thud was heard as they hit something in front of them. "Wh-What?"

Kiso had the accelerator fully depressed, but the APC only whined and shuddered as it continued to slow down. Inazuma gasped as she noticed a silhouette in front of the APC, pushing it back. "W-Wait, that's—!"

"Going somewhere? I'll give you guys a better lift!"

The APC was suddenly hauled up in the air and smashed its roof against the ground with a single flip. The heavy slam knocked Inazuma's head yet again.

"D-Did she just give our carrier a suplex?" Kiso uttered.

Rubbing the back of her head, the destroyer crawled into the cockpit. "A-Are you okay?"

"Yeah." The cruiser kicked the driver's emergency hatch on her left. "Better get ready for this one, Inazuma."

They left the upturned vehicle and chased after Urakaze fighting the Navy fleet girl who had intercepted them.

"Mnnh... you're strong!" the battleship Hiei said, parrying a flurry of blows. "So this is the power of an Irregular fleet girl..."

"Well, I don't mind kickin' it up a notch if you like!"

A sudden burst of mag-ions from Urakaze enveloped her frame in a purplish-blue glow. Hiei threw a left straight, and the destroyer deftly moved underneath the attack and rammed her knuckles into her opponent's waist.

As the battleship staggered from the punch, Urakaze used the opportunity to gain some distance and unleash a quick succession of shots from her pistol turrets. Hiei took the shells as she lunged at her opponent with a single step, restraining her with a half nelson. She slammed the destroyer to the ground and pushed her weight against the side of her body.

"Hi, Kiso!" Hiei gave the light cruiser a smile as she struggled to flip the destroyer on her back. "Feeling a bit rogue today, eh? Aren't you aware that this operation was sanctioned by the Council?"

"I am."

"Then why are you helping them?"

A burst of energy erupted Kiso's body as she summoned her core structure and armaments. "No, you're mistaken." She pointed her sword at the battleship. "I'm here to stop this petty operation. It is simply unforgivable that this came to pass in the first place."

"As far as we know, they are part of the threat too. We have nothing against them, but orders are orders, after all." Her eyebrows twitched for a second. "Kiso, it's been a while since we last sparred, huh?"

An intense explosion broke out from the observatory, causing a chunk of its dome to collapse. Kiso mirrored the battleship's expression, glancing at a group of fleet girls approaching from their right. "Inazuma, move."

"E-Eh? But—"

Urakaze's purplish aura flared up into a mighty blaze as the destroyer jabbed her raised elbow into the side of the battleship's head. As she broke free from the hold, she pushed the reeling battleship away with a punch to the stomach. She hopped back to her feet, but Hiei was able to recover just as quick, letting loose an intense white glow from her body.

Kiso mimicked the display of power with her teal-colored Overdrive state. "Urakaze, take point!" she shouted, rushing at Hiei. "I'll hold her off!"

Inazuma didn't have the time second-guess herself as she ran after her blue-haired companion. Shells whizzed to their direction as the Navy fleet girls attempted to hinder their advance, but the remnants of their air support were just as persistent, drawing their attention with repeated bombings in their vicinity.

Thanks to the planes' efforts, the destroyer pair safely reached the observatory's entrance. However, Inazuma felt that something wasn't quite right since they reached the compound.

There was barely any indication that a battle had transpired in the area, despite their trouble of setting up a blockade to stop her commander's group. She was expecting a platoon's worth of resistance as well, but they were able to get through easily. The blockade leading to the observatory grounds was abandoned, and only a couple of fleet girls were able to respond to their arrival.

As they stepped into the lobby, her lingering doubts were met with a swift answer:

What awaited them inside the hall was a slaughterhouse. Soldiers and fleet girls littered the floor smeared with their own blood and innards.

She took a couple of steps forward, feeling a little lightheaded. Somehow, the horrid scene wasn't as nauseating this time around, but the fact that she was growing used to it made her feel more disgusted to herself instead.

In the midst of the carnage was the Ne-class heavy cruiser, sitting with her legs crossed on a recliner. Heavily damaged as she was, she never seemed to lose her poise. "Oh, don't mind me," she said. "Go on ahead. They have nowhere else to run, and those girls outside aren't going to risk the lives of their soldiers still in here."

Inazuma hesitated as she mustered the courage to face the abyssal cruiser. "U-Um, can I ask you something first?"

Nerine cocked her head. "Well, what is it?"

"How did you get here without passing through the marines' blockade?"

"Yeah," Urakaze said, nodding, "I've been wonderin' about that too. Was there another path leadin' through here?"

The cruiser blinked. "Shouldn't you be aware by now that the Liberator himself has the ability to make any obstacle inconsequential?"

Inazuma quickly averted her eyes, feeling ashamed that she had to ask the obvious. "O-Of course! He must have used his telekinesis to avoid the blockade!"

The blue-haired fleet girl rubbed the back of her head. "O-Oh, why do I keep forgettin' that he could do that?"

She pushed out one more uncertainty out of her thoat. "B-But why did you have to kill all these people?"

Before the Ne-class crusier could answer, they heard two consecutive explosions further into the building. "Well, does that answer your question? If we don't move quickly," she gestured at their surroundings, "we'll end up meeting the same fate as the rest of these unfortunate souls."

"She's right," Urakaze said, patting secretary fleet girl's shoulder. "Don't let get yourself distracted now."

Giving her a hesitant nod, Inazuma followed the blue-haired destroyer on their search for the commander.

Even without the short bursts of gunfire erupting every few seconds, the destroyers found out that he had left a disastrous trail as he moved along the halls and corridors of the expansive building. Among the ruins were more bodies of soldiers, who seemed to have suffered grievous wounds on their necks and chests.

Her heartbeat suddenly imitated the pace of her steps. Her legs felt heavy, causing her strides to become uneven. Her eyes darted left and right, unable to focus for more than a couple of seconds.

They were almost caught up to the others, but the sinking feeling in her chest was also eating away at her resolve as if to discourage her to continue. Turning back was unthinkable now, so why was she letting her anxiety get the best of her at such a crucial moment?

She was afraid—a sensation that she could never get rid of no matter how hard she tried.

But she wasn't scared because of the present situation that she had to confront then and there. She was scared of what the future would entail from her.

She was almost certain that by helping the commander today, she would be dooming herself for the rest of her life. She had personally seen how some high-ranking Navy officers were willing to cross certain thresholds just to stop him once and for all, and incurring their unbridled wrath would mean treason of the highest order. That would also mean that she would have to forsake everything that she had been working for since the beginning, her dreams included.

Her stubborn intention to help the commander was nothing short of admirable, but the cost of seeing through that task till the end was admittedly higher than what she was willing to wager. Even at that very moment, the stakes continued to grow beyond her reach.

She now realized why the likes of Verniy and Takao were able to see through her. They weren't just trying to protect her from the commander; they were also trying to help her realize the repercussions of her rash actions. It was a lesson that never stuck due to her ignorance, and she was ashamed that she was consciously pushing it back into the farthest reaches of her mind.

So far, she had powered through the obstacles before her with a one-note conscience, but she wasn't sure now if she could follow through her promises.

She wasn't sure anymore if she had what it takes to abandon her dreams of building a career as a secretary fleet girl.

Perhaps Verniy was right. Maybe Commander was right…

Maybe she should've cut her losses early on and—

_For the love of… enough whining already!_

"Wh-Whaa—!" She bumped into a corner as the irritated voice reverberated in the walls of her head. "Nrghh… ?"

_Oh, I'm sorry…_

_But I'm honestly surprised how you were able to reach this far with that kind of attitude. I thought you've made up your mind? Were you just bluffing back there?_

"Y-Yeah," she replied, rubbing her forehead, "I only said it in the heat of the moment."

Her free hand went to her right ear just to be sure.

She was no longer wearing her earpiece.

_I figured it would take more than that to make you grow a spine._

Inazuma wasn't able to tell at first whether this mysterious voice was also another one of those auditory hallucinations she had been experiencing as of late, but this one was too crisp and distinct even when she let her emotions overpower her thoughts back in the Arbiter's base.

It felt like she was communicating with someone from very far away. And more importantly, the malicious tone it had before seemed to have disappeared.

"W-Who are you anyway?"

_Just think of me as a friend._

"A friend?"

"Uh… Inazuma?" Urakaze called out. "Who are you talkin' to?"

Now conscious of the blue-haired destroyer, her hands fluttered in defense. "A-Ah…! U-Um… I was just—"

_You've made the right decision to help him in his cause. If you truly wish to bring peace to the world, you need to ensure that he would survive this ordeal._

_He is, after all, your key to put an end to all of the world's conflicts._

Inazuma did her best to ignore the other destroyer's worried stare. "I-Is that true? Do you know him personally?"

_Those little details don't matter right now. Finish your task first—I'll be more than happy to tell you everything I know in the near future._

"Wh-When, exactly?"

She then heard a chuckle. _Truly a bona fide secretary, aren't you? I myself can't give you a definite date, but I will speak to you again at my earliest convenience._

"What? But that's not—" Her ears began ringing again, sending a bolt of pain through her head. "H-Hello? Are you still there?"

Two firm hands grabbed her shoulders to give her a quick shake. "H-Hey, snap out of it!"

"A-Ah… sorry, Urakaze, I—"

More explosions rattled the building. The two parties brought their destructive chase somewhere in the observatory's northwest annex. "That can wait. Let's hurry!"

Between her nonexistent reputation and her best friend, Inazuma had no choice but to take the course that was already laid out before her.


	16. Dusk's Reckoning, Finale

**13c—Dusk's Reckoning, Finale**

* * *

Inazuma and Urakaze climbed up the annex's stairwell until they reached the solarium on the topmost floor of the building. The pair stumbled upon more bodies strewn over an enclosed bar and lounge area, but the growing intensity of the battle on the open hall just ahead distracted them from the bloodbath. Each clash of the combatants shook the room, causing parts of the ceiling to collapse on them.

Not wanting to stall themselves any longer, the destroyers flung themselves into the heart of the action.

Engulfed in a flickering glow of mag-ions, Sendai and the heavy cruiser Myoukou traded furious blows at each other. Their movements were almost a blur as they proceeded to lay waste to their immediate surroundings—flowerbeds were unearthed, furniture was reduced to splinters, and windows were shattered.

But despite the display of raw power, Inazuma knew that it was a losing battle for Sendai. While the light cruiser was outmaneuvering her opponent with her speed, sustaining her Overdrive was already taking a toll on her body, and it was only a matter time before she burns out her energy reserves completely.

On the other hand, Myoukou had no problems absorbing all the hits thrown at her direction. She had her eyes on the light cruiser's machete, which was the only weapon that posed a threat to her at that point. As long as she could parry the blade with her own, Sendai wouldn't be able to inflict any real damage to her, especially with all of her guns already out of commission.

As soon as the two cruisers disengaged, Urakaze saw the chance to fire at Myoukou with her turrets. "Inazuma, help Admiral out!"

Just ahead, she saw the commander taking refuge behind a concrete column as a barrage of projectiles tore down everything in its way. She scrambled to the middle of the hall and trained her turret to the source of the unceasing gunfire, but an arrow struck left thigh before she could fire a shell. Realizing her mistake, she retaliated with two consecutive shots before moving out of the enemy's line of fire, but the excruciating pain paralyzed her in an instant.

Exposed and helpless, she could only stare at the Navy group within the receding dusty veil. Akagi was there, along with the Kagerou-class destroyer Maikaze, Captain Tatsuki, and two more soldiers in heavily-fitted augmentation suits. Jintsuu was also with them, lying restrained and unconscious beside a cylindrical mag-ion field projector on the floor.

A grin splayed across the carrier's face as she was about to let loose another arrow, but an invisible force yanked her to the right, flinging her into a heap of broken bookshelves nearby.

"Good grief," the commander said, "you guys… were supposed to be our… backup."

Before she could respond, he pulled the destroyer to his side telekinetically. "Th-Thank you, Commander," she said, leaning against the column, "but did you really have to drag me across the floor like that?"

He peered around their cover and tossed a smart bomb at the enemy group. "Sorry… can't hear you over that… arrow sticking out of your thigh."

"You don't need to remind me," she clutched the arrow's shaft as she began purging the projectile with her mag-ions, "but more importantly, we need a plan to get Jintsuu back."

"I think… neutralizing their mag-ion field… is a great starting point for us."

His mocking tone aside, she could easily see that he was already in a terrible shape. He had noticeable puncture wounds and lacerations on his body, and the right sleeve of his jacket got torn off up just before his shoulder, exposing most his deformed arm. However, she deemed those injuries paltry to the gut feeling she was having towards him at that very moment.

Since she couldn't explain what it was exactly, it was starting to make her heart race with her thoughts. Her heart was pounding so intensely that she could faintly hear it resonating in her head.

His conscious effort to draw in air into his mouth was only making her more anxious.

_I-Is he going to be okay… ?_ She squinted at him, pursing her lips. "C-Can't you use your telekinesis to destroy the mag-ion projector?"

He directed his glare at his bleeding forearm. "That experimental projector… also functions as an insulator, preventing external mag-ions to pass through the field."

Inazuma stared at his arm as well, noticing the deep puncture between his embedded terminal and the inside of his elbow. "U-Um… in other words… ?"

"My usual tricks aren't going to work within its influence. Plus… that carrier fleet girl is channelling her own mag-ions into the projector. We might need a battleship's firepower to… break through."

The destroyer winced as the arrow finally dissolved into a fizz of red mag-ions. Blood started to ooze out of the wound, prompting her to apply pressure over it. "But you can purge mag-ions, right? Like you did on Yayoi back in—"

"I can… but I won't."

"Wh-What? Why?!"

"Because I don't feel like dying just yet." He produced a syringe and took off its needle cap. "But the least I could give you is a compromise."

"C-Compromise?"

She then heard Tatsuki's voice further in the hall. "What now, Liberator?" he called out. "Are you still under the impression that you had us cornered here?"

Taking a deep breath, the commander administered the shot into his right upper arm. "I… I only want Jintsuu back!" he replied, wincing. "Nothing more!"

"I'm well aware. Who would've thought that it would be this easy to lure you out of the woodwork?"

He stood up and stepped into the Navy group's view, pointing his right hand forward. "Using her as insurance is smart, I'll admit. But it's clear to me that you didn't think this through carefully."

"Spouting more hollow words, I see. You can't shadow the fact that you're too weary to even use your VOKS unit effectively." The commander launched a couple adhesive discs at the field, bouncing off into different directions. "You walked right into this one, Liberator."

"And I'd say you've bitten more than you can chew."

The deflected discs exploded, obscuring their surroundings with smoke once more. The enemy group responded with gunfire while the commander made the leap on the other side of the hall. "Soften up the field for me!"

Despite the burning sensation in her leg, Inazuma was able to hop back on her feet. Allocating more mag-ions into her wound had sped up repairs to her puncture wound, restoring the damaged tissues in no time. Her damage control crew also told her that it wouldn't interfere with her movements, but their assertion was immediately put to the test as Maikaze left her post and pranced towards the secretary fleet girl.

Inazuma backpedalled while firing away with her shoulder turret, but the blonde fleet girl avoided all of her shots until she got close enough to launch her upwards with a kick to the chin. As if it wasn't enough, she immediately twisted her body midair and brought up her other foot backwards, hitting the other destroyer in the chest.

Maikaze touched the ground and dashed at Inazuma's falling form. "Follow that Tour jeté," she hopped into the air once more, "with the coup de grâce!"

With her left leg static and almost perpendicular to the ground, she whipped her body counterclockwise and performed a high sweeping kick using her other leg, her foot striking the secretary's stomach.

Inazuma, winded from the blow, crashed into the wall and fell into the remains of a harbor diorama. As she finally got her bearings back, Maikaze was already standing before her. _S-She's too fast… !_

"So, how would you rate that revoltade? Still practicing my moves, but I'm getting there!" Inazuma attempted to stand up, only to keel over towards the Navy destroyer. "I went easy on you, you know? But if you want a showdown that badly, then I won't ho—"

Multiple explosions rocked the building, filling the solarium with smoke once more. A few seconds later, the hall's water sprinklers doused the hall with a misty shower. "Huh… so you're the bait," Maikaze whistled, turning around. "One moment, please."

As she was about to return to her friends, a steaming Sendai swooped in from behind and landed a kick on her core structure. The blonde destroyer skidded face-first on the watery floor, but she quickly performed a handspring to get back on her feet again. A pair of turrets extended out from her back as she took aim at Sendai, but Inazuma beat her to the punch with a direct hit from her shoulder mount.

At that same moment, Myoukou charged after the light cruiser from behind, but the sneak attack only managed to thrust through air as her opponent ducked at the last second and countered with a leg sweep. Caught off guard, the heavy cruiser fell down and sprawled on the floor.

A ruffled Maikaze reappeared from around the nearby column, training her turrets again. "Miss Myoukou! Are you okay?!"

"Enough!" Panting, Sendai grabbed the Navy cruiser's collar and yanked her up to her knees. "You can't just take a hint, can you?"

"The feeling's mutual," Myoukou replied as she flicked her right wrist, producing an equipment card from her sleeve. "We've already provided your group more than enough opportunities to surrender, but you still choose to be a martyr for his cause."

The light cruiser brandished her bloodstained machete. "How dramatic. You're getting really annoying, so I'll just go ahead and finish you off here."

Seeing the rage contained within her eyes reminded Inazuma of the corpses she had come across on her way there. "S-Sendai!" she cried. "Don't!"

"And what, let them have their way with everything we've worked for from the very beginning?!" Sendai's voice was exhausted, yet full of emotion. Inazuma had never seen her so upset before. "If you only saw the horrible things they were doing to Jintsuu, then you'd realize that they only deserve what's coming to them!"

A bright warm light enveloped Myoukou's remaining starboard battery. As the card in her hand vanished, the battery was replaced with a new one, its barrels already facing the light cruiser. Sendai wasn't given any time to react, much less move out of the way, as a pair of armor-piercing shell bored into her abdomen and escaped from her back.

Still standing, the light cruiser looked like she was more astounded than quivering in pain. She tottered a few steps backwards until she collapsed on her knees. Her blood gushed out of the holes in her midriff as she desperately tried to stop the flow with her trembling hands.

"Us fleet girls in the Naval Domain exercise maximum tolerance in situations such as this one," Myoukou said, stepping closer to Sendai, "but many lives were already compromised on your group's account. If this is the only way to stop you from causing any more trouble in the future, then we shall do so without reservations."

Inazuma hurried towards the cruisers, but Maikaze blasted her back with a salvo of explosive shells. She found herself lying next to the wall again, her arms throbbing due to the blast. "We'll have to cut this recital short!" the blonde destroyer shouted. "Just give up already!"

As she slowly propped herself up from the rubble, she caught sight of the clash between Urakaze and Akagi. The aircraft carrier, engulfed in a raging flare of red, overpowered her opponent with a single blow. As the destroyer was taken out of her stance, Akagi impaled her in the stomach with one of her transforming arrows.

Inazuma's blood ran cold. "N-No… !"

"I'm done playing around!" the Navy carrier brandished another blade in her free hand. "Let me show you what abominations like you deserve!"

Before she could deliver the final stroke, two consecutive shock waves erupted from the Navy group's entrenchment, blasting Akagi and her friends off their feet. While everything was being swept towards the other side of the solarium, Urakaze held her ground against the energy bursts so that she could grab Sendai afterwards and cover her escape with a spread of depth charges.

As the explosions swallowed the startled Navy fleet girls, Inazuma picked herself up and hid behind the nearest support column again. From there, she saw the commander standing motionless in front of the three soldiers. She started panicking, but Tatsuki and his men didn't seem concerned in the slightest. "Co-Commander! What are you doing?!"

Slowly, he further closed the distance between them until the rectangular field was within his reach. He had his left hand behind his back, clutching a smart bomb.

Tatsuki simply let out a chuckle. "Well, what did I tell you?" he said. "So, do you now realize how futile it is to stand up against us?"

As if to emphasize his statement, the Navy fleet girls leaped out of the large cavity in the floor and started to approach the commander. The three of them merely eyed their enemies as if they had already won.

And it was a fact that Inazuma couldn't possibly challenge.

Even when they were considerably damaged by Urakaze's bombs, it would be a foolish mistake to assume that they were now at a disadvantage.

"Not really," the commander replied, "let me give it another shot. I was made for this kind of grunt work, you know?

Inazuma blinked. _Made for… ?_

The Navy officer raised a palm up as his fleet girl subordinates surrounded the commander. "Are you, perhaps, stalling for time again? I'll have you know that you can't win this game of attrition, Liberator."

"But aren't you glad that I have the same plan as yours?"

Tatsuki's eyebrows twitched. "What do you mean?"

"Your true purpose so far in this game is to keeping wearing me down. Am I wrong?"

"Wear you down? What are you blabbering about now?"

"Remember the bullet that you shot me with back in the interrogation room? It was no ordinary cartridge, and I'm pretty sure it was designed specifically to hinder my abilities in some way. You guys were already anticipating that I would get a VOKS unit later on, so you sought to nip the problem in the bud while I was still vulnerable."

The Navy captain scowled. "You're talking nonsense!"

The commander shrugged in response. "However, the physical trauma you've inflicted only worsened my body's mutation. Thanks to you, I was able to achieve a certain level of control over my abilities that shouldn't be even possible without the conditioning prerequisite."

"Wh-What?!"

"Well, I tried to play along at first to stop those prying ears from getting all suspicious, but I find it more amusing that you didn't get the memo about that bit. A huge oversight if you ask me."

Tatsuki's composure faltered for a moment. "E-Even if I accidentally gave you access to your abilities, you're still weak enough to utilize them at their full efficiency! I at least know that much!"

"That's why I'll prove you wrong here and now."

"If you're planning to get yourself killed, then you should know that I wouldn't allow you take the easy way out from all of your crimes you've committed!"

The commander thrust his right palm up to the Navy officer's face. "I told you guys many times already—I don't intend to die just yet!"

"Seize him!"

As the Navy fleet girls were about to pounce on him, the commander activated his smart bomb, deploying a spherical mag-ion field around him. Akagi and her comrades stopped in their tracks upon entering the field, not able to move a single muscle.

The carrier struggled against the invisible force holding her body in place. "Wh-What is this… ?!"

"Use your Overdrive, Akagi!" Tatsuki said, stepping away from the commander. "Don't let him get the upper hand on us!"

The fleet girl complied with the order, engulfing herself in a crimson glow. However, she was only able to make small movements with her limbs.

The commander used this chance to charge up and unleash a point-blank telekinetic blast against the enemy's field, producing an electrical clap. The intense energy burst crushed the field completely as it sent everyone flying away.

But before Inazuma could even celebrate, the cylindrical projector reactivated in just a few seconds. The armored men and Akagi's group recovered just as quickly as they got up on their feet once more, flanking the commander lying on the floor.

A smile tugged the Navy captain's lips as he looked down at the commander's writhing form. "What a shame," he said, kicking him in the stomach. "All of that confidence earlier seems to be failing you now. I wonder where we should go from here, Liberator."

"L-Let him go!" Sendai screamed, pulling herself away from the blue-haired destroyer.

"Should I finish her off?" Akagi asked the captain.

"She already has one foot in the grave, so don't bother." Tatsuki directed his gaze to the bloody light cruiser, analyzing her expression. "Tell me, Liberator. What are those girls to you exactly?"

The commander continued to groan in pain, unable to give him any coherent response. Tatsuki only shook his head at the miserable sight before him.

"You've developed a deep bond between these girls, and it's painfully obvious by just looking at how you treat your subordinates. It really was a stark contrast in the past where you had been avoiding them like the plague itself."

Inazuma bit her lip. _Avoiding us fleet girls? What could he possibly—_

"G-Get to the point… !" the commander screamed through his agony.

The Navy captain chuckled as he began flexing his fingers. "You have no idea how much it frustrates me that I won't be able to dispatch you here and now, but I could at least inflict a fraction of the grief and misery you've given to me since that dreadful day before I toss you back to the feet of my superiors.

"You were always so tight-lipped and restrained, presumably to avoid exposing your weak points to everyone. But you've made one fatal mistake and you only have yourself to blame for it."

Inazuma could now hear the whirring of rotors approaching from above. Their distinct pitch could only mean that the aircraft was a multipurpose VTOL carrier. _R-Reinforcements… !_

"Phew, they're finally here," Maikaze breathed out, pulling the commander up to his knees. "What took them so long?"

Myoukou, having received an elastic restraint from one armored marine, also approached the commander from behind and bounded his wrists with it. "We should hurry so that we can assist the others in repelling the Abyssals."

The blonde destroyer jutted her thumb at Inazuma. "What about them though?"

"We were given orders to secure the Liberator, but—"

"I already have plans for them," Tatsuki said, "so you should concern yourself on the pressing matters at hand."

"I concur," Akagi replied. "As soon as we return to the headquarters and relay our report, we shall participate in the counteroffensive against the enemy fleets within Orion's waters."

Maikaze rolled her eyes. "Stop dodging the question! You guys keep roping me in to do weird ops, but you don't even trust me with secrets!"

"M-Maikaze!" Myoukou uttered.

"Come on, don't you sta—ahh?!" She pointed a quivering finger behind the heavy cruiser. "Eek! Get away from that creepy thing, Miss Myoukou!"

"Could you please stop playing aro—" A familiar spiny creature lunged onto Myoukou's back and injected its needle-like stinger into her nape. She let out a shrill scream. "G-Get off me!"

Her attempts to swat it away with her hands were fruitless as the sleek metallic creature had already detached itself from its stinger and hurled itself towards its next target. Tatsuki, however, was prepared as he snatched the creature midair and neutralized it with two point-blank shots from his pistol.

Amidst the commotion, Jintsuu suddenly got up and rushed at the unsuspecting marine behind the Navy officer. Akagi noticed her approach and flicked three of her transforming arrows into her direction. Two of the blades struck the light cruiser, but she endured the attack and took the soldier as her hostage.

"H-How did she get up?" Maikaze asked, assisting the vertigo-stricken Myoukou. "Did he use that icky thing to wake her up?"

"Of course," the aircraft carrier replied, "he wouldn't go all the trouble trying to break through the projector's field otherwise."

The recent turn of events only made Tatsuki more amused. "Was that your final ace in the hole, Liberator?" he asked, tossing the remains of the creature in front of the commander. "Relying on Abyssal familiars… you're gone far too deep into that hole of yours."

"Stand down and step away from my friends," Jintsuu said, narrowing her eyes.

Tatsuki faced the light cruiser and took a step forward. "Hmph, now this is an interesting development to witness."

She glared at him, shoving her forearm turrets on her captive's back. "I will kill him if you don't start moving this instance!"

"Kill, you say?" He gave her a smirk, gesturing towards her with an open palm. "Go ahead then—do your worst."

"I'm not going to repeat myself! This is your last chance!"

Her imposing tone was convincing enough, but Inazuma knew that it was nothing more than a bluff. Unfortunately, the Navy officer saw through the light cruiser as well, shooting the marine in the thigh. As the soldier collapsed, Tatsuki quickly shot her with his forearm-mounted gun.

The large-bore cartridge, which should have been deflected by Jintsuu's natural field, struck her chest and spew out a cone of pellets through her body, exiting out of her back in a bloody mist. The light cruiser collapsed with a dull thud, shuddering on the floor.

"Wh-What?" Maikaze uttered. "I-It actually wounded her… !"

While everyone was left astounded from what just happened, Sendai rushed at the Navy captain. However, Akagi intercepted her and knocked her down with a single chop of her hand. "J-Jintsuu!" the light cruiser cried.

Tatsuki turned to face the commander, observing his ghastly expression. "Why do you look so shocked? I did say that I was going to punish them, one way or another."

The commander snarled, scowling at the other officer. "Leave them out of this, Tatsuki!"

He pulled Jintsuu up by the hair and shoved the barrel of his forearm gun into the back of her head. "You've murdered the people that I cared most in this world, Liberator! It's only appropriate for me to reap my just reward, starting with this fleet girl!"

His eyes suddenly went wide. "N-No! I'm begging you! She's not—"

A sharp but hollow bang pierced the air for the second time, followed by a metallic chunk and some hissing. Inazuma couldn't bring to open her eyes at first, but the faint stench of blood in the air dragged her back to reality.

The moment she lifted her eyelids, she almost immediately choked at the sight of the coagulated trail of flesh and pellets on the floor. On the opposite end was Jintsuu lying in her own pool of blood.

The back part of her cranium had collapsed, exposing its innards to the elements. Inazuma wouldn't want to imagine the full extent of the damage inflicted by the pellets that had penetrated the cruiser's head.

Dying was one thing, but being killed in such a brutal fashion was a harrowing experience.

It sickened her so much that her legs could no longer support her own weight.

Tears streamed down the contours of her face while she focused her remaining willpower not to succumb to the despair spreading across her body.

Maikaze stared at the corpse in utter horror. "Ca-Captain… ! Wh-Why did you—"

Sendai suddenly let out a primal scream. "Y-You monster… !"

Her uninhibited rage gave her the strength to escape Urakaze's grasp and rush at the captain, but Akagi knocked her down to her knees with a quick stroke of her hand. Tatsuki approached light cruiser, manually loading another cartridge into his gun. "And yet here you are, serving a much greater fiend than I'll ever become." Standing before her, he trained the barrel of his forearm module at her forehead. "I'll assure you that you'll meet him in hell soon enough."

_It's happening again... but what should I do?!_

Inazuma gritted her teeth, the sound of her heartbeat reverberating in full force yet again.

_If we're all going to die anyway, then…_

_Then… !_

"P-Please, stop!" Inazuma cried out. "Kill me instead!"

She was somewhat surprised herself that she was able to croak those words out of her throat.

Perhaps out of desperation? A spur of courage?

No, it was something almost bordering on the absurd:

Blind faith—a sliver of hope that could be their only ticket to get out of this horrible nightmare.

_Commander… please…_

_I know you're still holding back something!_

Tatsuki looked at her for a moment, narrowing his eyes. "Would you look at that? A volunteer." He turned his gaze to the trembling commander. "Perhaps we would get a more exciting reaction out of you if I dispose of her instead."

"I-I've had enough, Tatsuki," the commander said, eyes fixed on the floor. His shaky voice was barely audible over the whining rotors above them. "Not her… just stop this…"

"Oh, did I actually strike gold just now?" Tatsuki smirked, walking towards the secretary fleet girl. "So, it is true that she's important to you in some odd measure. Perhaps even more than the rest of the girls you've recruited in your little group so far."

He finally looked up, giving him the most ferocious glare Inazuma had ever seen. "No, I'm more afraid of the things I might have to do if you keep this up. This is your final warning."

The sudden shift in his tone seemed to have quickened her heartbeat once more, progressing towards the unbearable.

Making the situation even worse, armored marines started pouring into the solarium. One squad landed through the broken ceiling while another group opted to make their entrance through the gaping windows on the left. The rest of them appeared on both entryways of the hall, approaching their allies with great caution.

Tatsuki reached the brown-haired destroyer, putting on an irritated face. "All things considered, that detestable part of you is consistent." He glanced at Akagi, who proceeded to wrap an arm around the commander's neck. "Make sure not to wink—this will be the very last moment you'll see her breathing."

Inazuma looked up to the Navy captain, who lined up and shoved the barrel of his gun between her eyes. She closed her eyes in resignation as her chest felt like it was about to burst at any moment.

The throbbing crescendo in her head entered its climax, squeezing the air out of her lungs. On the verge of losing consciousness, she then heard a familiar voice:

_Shortcake, I'll leave the rest to you…_

Inazuma soon realized that the heartbeat she had been hearing wasn't hers.

It was the commander's.

Her eyes shot wide open as a wave of mag-ions crashed into her, shrouding her body in a wintery chill. Tatsuki was standing in front of her as if he was transformed into an elaborate statue moments ago.

"I think I'm done here," the commander said, removing his restraint with his telekinesis. "I'll give you what exactly you're hoping for, Tatsuki."

His voice reverted to a more imposing yet restrained tone.

His all-purpose modular pack transformed once more, emitting specks of mag-ions around his body. But unlike the first time she had seen it, he seemed to be calmer and in control despite the greater amount of energy he was projecting.

"Let me show you the wonderful things I can do when I get _desperate_."

As he crouched a bit and shielded his face with his arms, an explosive gust suddenly erupted from his body, launching everyone away from him. He collapsed to his knees afterwards as the fluttering light particles surrounding him suddenly froze and lost their luster. The specks expanded into a transparent gray shroud, blanketing the dimensions of the solarium in a couple of seconds.

Inazuma was breathless. _A-An ethereal field… !? H-How?_

His field instantaneously disabled all mag-ion devices within it, including the mag-ion projector that caused them a lot of trouble earlier. The soldiers who weren't caught in the telekinetic blast resorted to their conventional firearms, but their bullets instantly stopped short from their target just like what Inazuma had expected to happen.

Realizing the futility of their actions, the marines ceased fire and began to back away from him. Inazuma felt another chill running down her spine as the commander slowly stood up and lifted his chin. He had an impartial unresponsive look on his face as his eerily empty eyes focused on Tatsuki. His frame exuded a spectral haze due to the instantaneous and constant combustion of mag-ions around him.

In front of her, Tatsuki's frustration was laced with fear as he attempted to struggle against the telekinetic force facing him away from her. "S-So," the Navy captain croaked, "the monster lurking within that frail human shell has finally shown itself."

"Mo-Monster?" Inazuma uttered.

He let out a snicker. "All the proof you need is already standing before us. Are you perhaps feeling ashamed that you entrusted yourself to such a loathsome being from the start?"

Gazing into the commander's eyes, she couldn't help but feel that Tatsuki might not be far off from the truth. It was almost as if a completely different entity had taken control over the commander's body.

The dreadful aura emanating from the commander had stripped away almost everything she had come to know about him.

"This isn't over yet, Liberator!" Tatsuki shouted. "It's about time we put you back in your rightful place and end your selfish deeds once and for all!"

As if answering the sudden burst of courage, the captain's augmentation suit reactivated, its color shifting from navy blue to maroon. He broke free from the commander's telekinetic influence and fired at him with his shoulder-mounted cannon. As the commander was swallowed in the blaze, Akagi and Myoukou immediately rushed at him from both sides.

"Co-Commander!" Inazuma cried, standing up.

Her distress turned out to be unnecessary as she saw the commander's silhouette through the dissipating murky screen.

He was unscathed, walking away from the two bewildered fleet girls behind him.

"H-How… ?" the heavy cruiser uttered as she collapsed to the floor.

The aircraft carrier's arrow blades, which somehow disappeared from Jintsuu's body, found themselves lodged in her torso. On the other hand, Akagi herself sustained similar injuries with the very same arrows she had been carrying within her quiver.

A scarlet blaze of mag-ions exploded out of Akagi as she rushed at him once more. "You impudent—!"

The commander pivoted on his heels just before she could get to him and launched her outside the building with a devastating yet precise telekinetic blast. Myoukou and a few of the soldiers were sent flying next, their screams fading as they were scattered throughout the observatory's perimeter.

"Don't just gawk there!" Tatsuki shouted at Maikaze, releasing another blast from his cannon. "Do something!"

What came next was a combined assault of the armored marines in an attempt to subdue the commander, but none of them even came close hitting him with a single bullet.

Of course, that would be only what one should expect from a person who could somehow pop in and out of existence for short periods of time. The commander used this ability to great effect, either allowing him to close in to his opponents or to get out of harm's way in an instant.

The commander himself had become vicious in his approach. Instead of stripping away their weapons and augmentation suits, he pacified the soldiers with point-blank telekinetic strikes. Screams for help and mercy broke out as the hapless marines were crushed within their armors, unable to move a single limb.

Tatsuki's group never stood a chance.

Amidst the commotion, Urakaze lumbered towards her side as she carried Sendai. "I-Is this the admiral's true power?" the blue-haired destroyer said, setting down the injured cruiser. "B-But why did he use it only just now? He could've save Jintsuu if he—"

Urakaze stopped short as her gaze slowly came down on Sendai. The light cruiser didn't seem to have heard her as she had her undivided attention on the ongoing battle before them.

Inazuma shook her head. "S-Something doesn't feel right about it though..."

"Y-Yeah, never seen him like that before." She narrowed her eyes. "No, maybe I did. That one time when—"

Accompanied by a sharp tingling running up her spine, her ears started ringing again. An exasperated voice beckoned her from the action and into the inner recesses of her psyche:

_"Inazuma… ! Thank the Goddess, it worked!"_

"M-Miss Mica?! How can you—"

_"No time! Explain the situation for me!"_

The urgency in Mica's voice made her panic a bit. "T-The commander deployed this ethereal field and—"

_"I knew it!" _The technician let out a frustrated growl. "_Why now, of all times?!"_

"Wh-What's happening to him?"

_"His trance-like state that you're seeing is the result of him maintaining Psyche Drive past its limit. He'll get himself killed if we don't stop him now!"_

"Wh-What do you mean by that? He's winning this battle for us!"

_"Psyche Drive taxes the brain more than the rest of the body! The mag-ions surging within his body, along with the chemical imbalances in his brain, will cause his organs to collapse all at once!"_

"T-Then, what should we do?!"

_"You have to knock him out!"_

"K-Knock him out?! Is there any other way?"

_"W-Well… you could try destroying his VOKS unit… but that would be much more difficult to pull off!"_

"B-But that's… if the others can't even hit him… then…"

_"As long as he has his ethereal field up, I won't be able to access his terminal and apply the necessary fix into his bloodstream!_

_"Inazuma, please! I can't afford to lose him too!"_

Urakaze suddenly tackled her down as one of Maikaze's shells flew over them. "Inazuma, snap out of it!"

Inazuma looked up just in time to see the blonde destroyer launching herself towards the commander's blindside, but he disappeared just before her foot could connect to him. Not a second later, he reappeared behind Maikaze and launched her through several floors down the building.

However, Tatsuki was able to hit him with his mag-ion cannon, sending him against the wall. As he deployed a jet-black blade from his forearm module, the captain launched another blast just as the commander disappeared once again. He pivoted clockwise and swung his blade in a horizontal arc just as the commander materialized behind him, catching him by surprise.

The commander was forced to block the attack with his forearm module, causing its screen to shatter in a fine shower of crystals. His impassive expression faded just as quickly as his face twisted into a scowl.

"Y-You might have those powers," Tatsuki said, "but you're still a novice in combat!"

With a vicious roar, the commander grabbed the Navy officer's neck with his right hand and lifted him up in the air. The mag-ion receptors in his palm radiated a silver glow that slowly enveloped Tatsuki.

As he was completely consumed in the commander's mag-ions, the silver shroud dimmed to a darker hue before exploding in a gust of disruptive energy around them. Tatsuki's augmentation suit suddenly collapsed to the floor while the rest of his MAUs reverted back into their respective card states.

Still, the commander wasn't satisfied. He tightened his grip on the captain's neck. Tatsuki struggled against the hold as he grabbed onto his forearm, but the commander didn't budge at all.

Inazuma quickly got up to her feet. "H-He wouldn't, would he?" she asked.

"Th-That bastard had it coming," Sendai said.

"I-If this continues… commander will definitely…"

"Wh-Why do you care?! He… he killed Akatsuki and Jintsuu! If given the chance… I'd take his life with my own hands!"

Inazuma looked down at the fuming light cruiser in utter disbelief. "Ho-How could you say that… ?" She sought solace as she directed her gaze to Urakaze, but the blue-haired destroyer didn't seem to share the same sentiment. "M-Miss Urakaze, are you just going to watch him do this too… ?"

"Th-This is his battle," she replied. "And Sendai's right, y'know? I don't care what happens to him."

"The commander's—" Inazuma shook her head. "Y-Your admiral's situation won't get any better with a dead Navy officer in our hands!"

Urakaze was growing more and more uncertain, but she managed to croak out a response. "I…. I can't interfere if this is what he truly wants to do!"

Fright and frustration bubbled up inside Inazuma. She couldn't even imagine that Urakaze would let him do such a thing. "B-But… but… !"

Tatsuki's limbs started to flail wildly as the commander squeezed the life out of him. Inazuma could vividly remember the look on the commander's face back when Lieutenant Ichiro attacked them in the mausoleum a few days ago.

The same cruel ferocity in his eyes, brimming with deadly intent…

_No, I have to try! This has to stop now!_

Inazuma used her newfound courage as a springboard to make the leap towards them. "Co-Commander, please stop! We've already won!"

The commander didn't acknowledge her presence as he continued to press his fingers into the captain's neck. Inazuma clenched her teeth, grabbing his free hand. "Commander, listen! We should just leave them alone and escape while we still have time!"

As she began pulling his hand, the commander finally looked at her. "The commander I know wouldn't do something like this! So, please let him go!"

His expression slackened for a moment, releasing the captain from his grasp. "No!" Urakaze suddenly shouted. "Inazuma, get out of there!"

Before she could look over her shoulder, the commander leveled his palm at her face and enveloped her body with his mag-ions. Inazuma braced herself in response, producing bluish electric sparks from her natural field.

She was left confused for a moment as nothing happened to her, but the commander pointed at her chest instead and sent her flying across the other side of the hall. The blow felt like she took a swing from a sledgehammer, squeezing the wind out of her lungs.

Mica's panicked voice rang inside her head once again. _"I-Inazuma, are you okay?!"_

"Y-Yeah," she replied as rubbed her aching chest, "my shield really helps a lot in situations like this."

_"W-Wait… that MAU of yours is still working? Inazuma, you have a way better shot at this than I initially thought!"_

"W-Why are you getting so excited?"

_"You didn't know? He must have installed it when you weren't looking or something…_

_"Anyway, you have a special device on your person that reinforces your natural mag-ion field against his VOKS modules. Producing more mag-ions can even prevent him from using his telekinetic abilities on you!"_

"A-Ah!" Inazuma recalled that the commander did stick something on her core funnel earlier. "I-Is that what he meant by insurance?!"

_"You only have to look out for his psychokinetic attacks—those always travel in a straight line. Watch his movements carefully, and you'll be able to dodge them!"_

"T-Thank you, Miss Mica!" She propped her body up with her elbows. "I-I'll give it another shot!"

Back on the other side of the solarium, he turned his attention back to the Navy captain scrambling towards the exit. He seized Tatsuki within a telekinetic field and pulled him just before his feet. As Sendai's machete flew into his hand, he stomped on the captain's stomach again and again.

He continued to lay down his punishment as he admired the blade in his hands. His blank and unchanging expression was unsettling, masking the animosity he had yet to show to everyone around him.

Seemingly satisfied from the beating he had given to the trembling Navy officer, the commander made him rise on his knees and brushed the blunt side of the blade against his cheek. Tatsuki, now wearing a dark red streak on his face, looked up to him with genuine fear in his eyes.

"Commander, stop!"

As Inazuma ran towards the two officers, the commander trained his right palm at her direction. She felt a warm burst of wind grazing her body before sensing the real threat speeding towards her: an invisible pocket of concentrated kinetic energy.

Realizing that she had missed her cue, she stopped in her tracks and deployed her shield's mag-ion field. The resulting collision made her legs shaky as she skidded back to where she had landed earlier.

_I-It's almost instantaneous! _Inazuma winced as the commander raised his machete, aiming to behead Tatsuki in a single stroke. _I… I won't make it!_

Just as the commander made the swing, Urakaze came up to them in her Overdrive state and knocked the knife out of his hands with a sweep of her leg. The distance that she covered in a mere second was just remarkable, but it was still not enough to escape the commander's counterattack. He simply launched her away and pinned her against the wall with his telekinesis.

His machete started floating in the air, training its curved end at Urakaze's center mass.

_N-Now's my chance!_

Adrenaline surging in her veins, Inazuma dashed towards the commander once more and fired a time-fused explosive shell at him. Just as she had been hoping for, he was forced to accommodate the incoming projectile just before it could reach him. He turned his attention to the secretary next, but the shell detonated just as he was about to launch another telekinetic attack, knocking him away from Tatsuki.

Upon reaching the final stretch, Inazuma flung her anchor towards him. As soon as the commander disappeared, she activated her winch to half power while she swung the anchor in a circle. Its chain managed to snag the commander as he materialized on her left, wrapping itself around his body. Wasting no time, she powered her winch to its maximum torque to pull the ensnared commander towards her and slam her shield against him.

Despite the crushing blow, the commander was still struggling from his bindings.

"W-Why… ?" Tatsuki asked. "Why would you purposely throw your life away to that monster… ?"

Inazuma's lips quivered as she looked down at the commander's writhing form.

_You, Akatsuki, and the others... you don't have to get involved in our affairs. Don't throw your future away like that._

_At the very least, not for someone like me._

She shook her head, stifling the urge to cry. "I… don't know…"

"Don't take me for a fool! There must be a deeper reason! Did he coerce you into joining his group? Was it because you've helplessly fallen for him? Give me an answer!"

"…a promise," she breathed out.

"Promise?" He smirked. "S-So, it all falls back to him after all."

"Y-You can think what you want about it, and I don't blame you. There are plenty of things that I don't understand just yet, and that's exactly why I can no longer bring myself to turn a blind eye to them.

"I admit that there were more than enough times that I consciously went against my better judgment. I also won't deny that I'm constantly scared of the consequences of my own decisions. But that's okay—us fleet girls are more than just weapons now.

"If this is the path that I needed to take to realize that promise, then I just have to keep moving forward! As his secretary fleet girl, you can't expect me to give up and abandon him right now!"

The commander's body was suddenly engulfed in a fluctuating silver glow, the mag-ions in his body increasing at an alarming rate. Inazuma was left with no choice but to subdue him completely with a shell dart. As a result, the ethereal field within the solarium faded away almost instantly.

_"Y-You actually did it!"_ Mica's voice was teeming with joy. _"Lemme take the rest from here! Just hang in there, okay?!"_

Tatsuki forced himself to stand up. "S-Such conviction wasted for the wrong cause," he said. "You're a disappointment and nothing more."

Inazuma made a small smile. "You don't have to feel that way. After all, you're not my commanding officer."

She was about to remove the chain around the commander when multiple explosions erupted from the lower floors of the building.

"Do you hear that?" He let out a nervous laugh. "No matter how much you struggle, all of your efforts won't amount to anything! More reinforcements are on their way here!"

Urakaze walked up to the captain and silenced him with a quick right hook to the side of his face. "We gotta hurry up." She then crouched beside Inazuma and helped her untangle the commander. "We can't afford to be cornered again."

Behind them, Sendai tottered towards the machete on the floor and picked it up. As Inazuma glanced over her shoulder, the light cruiser was already approaching the unconscious Navy officer.

"S-Sendai?" Inazuma stood up and placed herself between them. "P-Please put that down."

"I rarely ask for anything, so let me have this one. Please."

Her voice was small and rigid, devoid of emotions. Any trace of the relaxed and happy-go-lucky fleet girl was extinguished in an instant.

"J-Jintsuu would never let you do something like this!"

A spark of hatred and fury lit Sendai's eyes. "It's because of him that she isn't here anymore. Step aside."

Inazuma was taken aback from her sudden change of disposition. "S-Sendai! Please sto—"

The light cruiser suddenly shoved her to the side and lunged at the officer. Fortunately, Urakaze was able to intercept Sendai at the last second, catching the blade with a single hand. "Inazuma's right!" the blue-haired destroyer said. "Pull yourself together!"

Tears traced the contours of the cruiser's cheeks. "Sh-Shut up!" she cried, pushing the knife towards Urakaze. "H-He doesn't deserve to—"

"Enough!" Inazuma's commanding tone brought the light cruiser out of her trance. "Please… it's already over! If we don't work together now, Jintsuu's death here will be pointless!"

Sendai suddenly recoiled as the machete fell out of her hands. She stared down at the bloodstained knife, looking a bit conflicted. After that brief moment of hesitation, she let out a shaky breath. "Pointless, huh?" she muttered, rubbing her tears with her forearm. "Y-You don't have… to tell me that..."

Inazuma was rattled from what she just said as well. "I-I'm sorry…"

"Don't be, because there's no way I'd forgive him." She narrowed her eyes. "I'll have another shot to settle things with him later."

"S-Sendai… !"

Urakaze scooped the machete off the ground and handed it over to the light cruiser. "Good to see that you got some fight left at least," she said, returning to the commander's side. "We're not out the woods just yet."

Without another word, Sendai slowly turned around and staggered to where Jintsuu had wound up in their recent battle. Inazuma grimaced. Witnessing the light cruiser's outburst brought some horrible memories back to the forefront of her mind.

She was reminded how powerless she was… how inconsequential her existence was in the grand scheme of things. In turn, the anger and frustration in her heart started to resurface, spreading through every vein in her body.

As she wallowed in her self-pity, a new voice intruded her head:

_"Hmm… you seem to be doing a bit of introspection right now, but you and the others have to get out of there as soon as possible."_

Inazuma snapped into attention. "M-Miss Nerine?!"

_"I've already reached my limit, so it's only a matter of time before they overpower me. Exit through the northern gate—one of Urakaze's companions is waiting beyond there."_

"H-How about you?"

_"Come now, do you truly believe that I would fall in a place like this?"_ Her voice exuded cool determination. _"I'll be right behind your group shortly."_

As if she had heard the abyssal cruiser's message, Urakaze hoisted the commander on her shoulder and ran to the window. "We goin' or what?!" she called out.

Inazuma followed suit, only stopping a few seconds later to turn towards the light cruiser. "S-Sendai!"

Kneeling beside her sister ship, Sendai only looked over her shoulder. "Go ahead," she replied. "I'll catch up when I'm done here."

"A-Alright."

Exchanging nods with each other, the destroyers leaped through the window and landed on a fenced patio covering the annex's grounds. They set their sights on the gate just ahead of them and started moving, but a huge explosion from the inside demolished the wall to their right, surprising the pair.

A shadow slipped through the smoke and darted towards Urakaze, but Inazuma placed herself between them to intercept the incoming punch with her shield. The overwhelming blow sent her skidding backwards across the pavement.

"Inazuma!" the blue-haired destroyer cried.

The secretary fleet girl managed to retain her stance, but she was now struggling to calm her trembling limbs. Gritting her teeth, she entered into her Overdrive state as she launched a glare at the ponytailed fleet girl standing before them.

_I-It's her… I have to go all out if I want to have a chance against a fleet girl of her level!_

"I'm sufficiently impressed that you were able to reach this far," Yahagi said, flexing her right hand. "But it's about time we put an end to this foolish nonsense, Inazuma."

She could sense multiple mag-ion signatures converging from within and around the building. Based on their numbers alone, a direct engagement with them was simply unthinkable. Any attempts to elude their pursuers would be pointless as well. Navy carrier planes were already roving the airspace in various altitudes, ready to pounce on them at any given moment.

No matter what they do, they would be just delaying the inevitable. This realization fueled her frustration even more, boiling closer to her breaking point. "Miss Urakaze, keep going!" Inazuma aimed her shoulder turret at the light cruiser. "I'll hold her off!"

Urakaze hesitated, but she made up her mind just as quick. She gave her one final nod before bolting towards the gate.

The Agano-class cruiser glanced up to the sky. "Don't press your luck."

A lone bomber broke out of the CAP formation and made a steep dive towards them. It released its payload across the gateway, blanketing the area within a sprawling inferno after the initial blasts.

Inazuma looked back in horror as she caught sight of Urakaze and the commander lying near the raging blaze. In a fit of anger and desperation, she repeatedly fired at Yahagi with explosive shells. The first shot connected, but the light cruiser was barely damaged as she weaved towards her with expert speed and precision. Upon getting close, she launched a right hook at the destroyer.

The secretary fleet girl dipped low to avoid the attack, but the punch was only a feint as Yahagi grabbed the back of her head and rammed her knee into her face. As she staggered backwards, the cruiser snatched her outstretched right arm and quickly twisted it as she moved behind her. The bout of pain from that maneuver was instantly dwarfed when Yahagi performed an elbow strike into her own, producing an even louder crunch.

Losing her Overdrive state, Inazuma collapsed face first into the dirt soundlessly. A few seconds later, she let out a bloodcurdling scream that could be heard from the heavens. The excruciating pain from her dislocated shoulder and elbow caused her whole body to twitch and shudder violently.

As the pain subsided to a more bearable threshold, Inazuma recalled her core structure so that she could roll on her back and raise her left arm at the Navy fleet girl. Just like before though, Yahagi only stood there with an indifferent look on her face. Knowing that it was her only chance left, Inazuma fired her shield turret, but the light cruiser seemingly had a sleight of hand as she caught the shell dart before it could reach its mark.

Inazuma was about to fire another dart when the Navy cruiser pinned her arm down with her foot. Wearing a disappointed expression, Yahagi examined the projectile closely between her thumb and index finger. "An abussosium-tipped dart," she muttered. "Quite a novelty you got here."

While the secretary fleet girl was struggling to pull her arm out, Yahagi stomped on her elbow with her other foot. Tremendous pain jolted her whole body once more as she squirmed against the cruiser's weight, but the Navy cruiser wasn't quite done just yet. She hovered over her body and executed a palm strike into her lower spine.

Inazuma's agony was compounded with panic and horror upon realizing that she could no longer feel her legs. She flailed her arms as if it would alleviate the physical and mental anguish ravaging her consciousness, but it only worsened the throbbing of her shoulder muscles.

Her cries of torment were answered by Urakaze, who knocked the light cruiser away with a cannon blast. Yahagi recovered from the attack, darting to her right as more shells headed her way. As she made an arc towards the blue-haired destroyer, a blurry figure rocketed straight to Yahagi's blindside from above.

It was Sendai.

Yahagi spun sharply to intercept the incoming threat, but she raised her guard a second too late as her assailant managed to gash her arm. Sendai slid past her and renewed the assault, pouncing from behind. Meanwhile, Yahagi stood her ground and anticipated her opponent's approach.

As Sendai was about to land a hit square on the side of her neck, she crouched down and pivoted to her right in one swift motion. Not only she was able to avoid the attack, she even landed an elbow jab underneath her rib cage. Sendai didn't let up as she went for another swing, but Yahagi caught her wrist and twisted it upwards, snatching the machete as it fell out of her hand.

A massive burst of energy erupted from the Navy cruiser, covering her frame in a deep red hue in an instant. Even with the huge amount of mag-ions surging within her body, she looked composed and relaxed. Slowly, she leveled her hand over Sendai's stomach and struck it with an open palm, producing a crimson wave of mag-ions between them. Engulfed in a blazing white glow, Sendai was sent skidding away until her back was almost touching the flames at the gateway.

"Impressive," Yahagi said, inspecting the large knife for a bit. "You took the blow without flinching."

Sendai had used her Overdrive to withstand the attack but at the cost of burning almost all of her mag-ions in her body. All of the wounds and other injuries that her damage control crew had been repairing were undone almost instantly. As blood flowed out of the wounds in her abdomen again, Sendai was struggling to maintain her stance. Her legs looked like they were about to give way at any moment.

Meanwhile, two fleet girl units arrived from each side of the building. They immediately trained their weapons at Sendai and Urakaze, the latter carrying the commander on her shoulder once again.

Inazuma let out an exasperated whimper.

With all of her limbs out of commission, what could she possibly do to help her friends?

Eyes closed, Yahagi seemed to have reached her own solution for that particular dilemma as she held up an equipment card between her fingers. A portable turret appeared in her free hand, its barrels already pointing at Sendai's head.

"For making a stand against the might of the Naval Domain, I couldn't say that I wasn't impressed by your group's audacity." Her crimson eyes opened again, reflecting the flickering flames before her. "I promise that your deaths will be quick and painless."

Inazuma had her eyes fixed at Yahagi, awaiting the execution_. I'm sorry, Commander. I couldn't protect everyone… !_

As the light cruiser was about to pull the trigger, an arrow struck her turret between its barrels. The lone talisman tied around its shaft emitted a purple glow, consuming Yahagi in a huge explosion.

Before anyone could process the surprise attack, more arrows soared above them and transformed into miniature planes. The bombers took care of the ground units while the fighters went to the intercept the Navy planes on combat patrol. Their coordinated assault was quick and ruthless, keeping the reinforcements at bay.

Amidst the storm of projectiles and explosions, a fleet girl burst out of the flames. She approached Urakaze and Sendai, giving each of them an express repair shot. "Sorry for the wait!" Tanikaze said as she tossed a depth charge behind her. "Shouhou told me to wait for her signal, so don't nag me for it!"

A greenish-blue torrent erupted from the bomb, dousing the area with soapy fire retardant. In a span of a few seconds, the flames blocking the gateway shrunk to half of its previous intensity.

"Get Inazuma," Urakaze told her. "We're bailin' out!"

"Gotcha!" Tanikaze made her way to the secretary, producing another repair serum. "You ain't got to worry one bit, Chief! We'll get out of 'ere in no time!"

Inazuma felt relieved, but it was quickly overshadowed by dread as she felt a huge energy spike generated from a certain fleet girl. "T-Tanikaze, watch out!"

The Kagerou-class destroyer rose just in time to block a fierce straight from Yahagi, but at the same time she accidentally crushed the serum in her grasp. Both of them skidded backwards, struggling to get the upper hand.

"That was our last serum!" An explosive silver aura enveloped Tanikaze. "You've really done it now!"

Yahagi smiled in response. "You girls are just full of surprises, aren't you?"

The Navy cruiser suddenly broke up from the tussle as she sidestepped to the left, causing the destroyer to stumble forward. As she brought up her machete and went for the kill, the destroyer summoned a pistol-turret and shot her from behind with an explosive shell. The two fleet girls were blasted away, gaining some distance between them.

Inazuma had been watching the battle unfold with the help of a bridge fairy, growing uneasy. _Her mag-ion control is impeccable, but she seems more relaxed compared to when she was fighting me just now._ Her eyes widened as she looked back up to the sky. _S-She's stalling!_

"Tanikaze, that's enough!" she shouted, pulling her body up as far as it would allow her. "Get out of here!"

"We ain't leaving you behind!" the short-haired destroyer replied. "Did you forget the reason why we came 'ere?!"

Inazuma glanced at Yahagi standing on her left. "I-I'm done for anyway! Just go!"

"We've already lost Jintsuu, dammit!" Sendai said, preparing herself to lunge at the Navy cruiser. "We're getting out of here together!"

Urakaze grabbed the cruiser's arm. "Stay put, Sendai!" she said. "You're gonna waste your repair serum!"

"A-Are you telling me that we're just going to abandon her?!"

"U-Urakaze, please!" Inazuma cried. "Leave now before it's too late!"

Wearing a fierce expression, the blue-haired destroyer made a sweeping gaze of her surroundings until her eyes settled back on Inazuma. She gave her a resolute nod before turning around. "Tanikaze, Sendai! Let's move!"

The other two fleet girls were appalled by her decision, but the counteroffensive of the Navy reinforcements quickly tipped the scale to her favor. They had to get out of there, fast.

Tanikaze bit her lip as she looked at the crippled destroyer for the last time. "We… we'll come for you later!" she said, running after Urakaze. "I promise!"

The two destroyers leaped over the dwindling wall of fire, but the light cruiser didn't follow just yet. She just stood there staring at her right hand, which was caked in her own blood.

Just then, a unit of fleet girls jumped at the opportunity to surround the unmoving light cruiser, demanding her to stand down. "S-Sendai!" Inazuma shouted. "Wh-What are you doing?!"

Two fleet girls sneaked behind her so that she could be restrained, but Sendai sprung backwards and shoved an elbow into the stomach of the nearest fleet girl. As the Navy destroyer doubled down, she used her shoulder to boost herself up in the air and hit the other fleet girl with a sweeping kick. The rest of them weren't able to retaliate when Sendai seized her first victim with a chokehold.

Unleashing her Overdrive, the destroyer struggled from the hold while her captor started dragging her away from her unit. Sendai gave herself a power boost, eclipsing the destroyer's aura with her own.

Inazuma gasped, marvelling at her flickering shroud.

Aside from the usual crimson glow surging out of her body, there was also a soft orange layer covering her frame. _I… I could feel Jintsuu's mag-ion signature with her own! D-Did she… ?_

Sendai looked at Inazuma with a tinge of regret and sorrow gleaming in her eyes, but she grinned regardless. "All of you are pathetic!" she shouted, fishing out three equipment cards from the destroyer's skirt pocket. "You might want to try harder next time!"

"S-Sendai?!"

She activated the cards, arming herself with two light-caliber guns and a depth charge dispenser. She immediately put the latter to good use as she lobbed a spread of depth charges at the other fleet girls. The simultaneous blasts razed the immediate surroundings, covering the cruiser's escape.

Inazuma plopped herself against the ground. Closing her eyes, she could sense Sendai's mag-ion signature fading each passing second. "S-She did it…"

"You seemed relieved."

She grimaced as she looked up to the ponytailed cruiser towering next to her. "Wh-What's with you?"

"Pardon?"

"Y-You're just toying with us. You let them get away…"

Yahagi grunted. "What are you talking about? This operation of ours is still a success. Even if the Liberator manages to escape the island later, he won't be able to do anything rash against us as long as we have you."

Frustration bubbled up within her once again. "S-Stop mocking me. I already know you held back." She balled her left hand. "And despite that, I still didn't put up a fight against you!"

The cruiser's eyebrows twitched. "What if I did hold back?"

"Even though I have a distaste for fighting, it still hurts that I was beaten so easily like this…" She started to break down, tears leaking out of the corner of her eyes. "I've never felt so useless. If only I was stronger… then I would be able to protect all of my friends!"

"Us fleet girls were given human flesh to specifically address such a problem." She raised her hand, flexing her fingers. "The capacity to grow stronger and surmount the impossible—it is the most powerful ability in your arsenal that you have failed to utilize."

"Stop that! I know what my limits are!" Sobbing, she tilted her head slightly to the side. "A destroyer like me… can't stand up against—"

"Wrong." Her voice became more imposing. "You're weak because you're full of excuses. You always had the potential to become stronger."

"Y-You're lying… I didn't even stand a chance…"

She brought out a lime-colored syringe from her belt pouch and kneeled beside the destroyer. "Hmph, you'll be given plenty of time to reflect on it along with your crimes." She narrowed her eyes. "And make no mistake—I'll make sure you won't slip out of our grasp again."


End file.
